

Investor's Corner
Tesla Model 3 delivery event: Key points investors will be looking for
With the Tesla Model 3 delivery event just days away, Tesla fans everywhere are gearing up for the final roll out of Tesla’s high volume, affordable EV.
Amid the excitement, however, Tesla shares have seen a mercurial run on the market in recent weeks. With many investors betting on Tesla’s future — and many more skeptical buyers shorting it — the Model 3 release will be nothing short of a rubber-meets-the-road moment for CEO Elon Musk and his grand automotive ideas.
Barring any major production or logistical mishaps, the production of the Model 3 is aiming to make a substantive impact on the automotive industry.
The Model 3 event is a defining moment for Musk, Tesla and investors alike. As the launch draws nearer, The Motley Fool introduced a few key features from the Model 3 that Tesla investors and fans need to be aware of.
The range of the Model 3 could put it in direct competition with the Chevy Bolt, which has a reported range of around 238 miles per charge from a 60 kWh battery.
In May, Tesla fans spotted a Model 3 with an estimated range of 310 miles. This model was likely equipped with a 75 kWh battery pack while a baseline Model 3 will achieve a minimum of 215 miles per single charge facilitated by a 60 kWh pack, according to inside sources.
Oh so little faith
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 24, 2017
In addition to vehicle range, another key point for investors is the Model 3’s access to the Supercharger network. Up until now, charging a Model S or Model X has been free at Supercharger locations. Tesla has announced, however, that all drivers will have to pay a fee cheaper than the cost of gasoline for charging after using over 400 kWh of energy from Superchargers.
Charging costs for the Model 3 remain a question mark ahead of the official roll out date.
Investors will also glean insight from Model 3’s Autopilot pricing model when it’s released. We already know that all Model 3 will be equipped with Autopilot 2.0 hardware as standard equipment, but what’s uncertain is how much customers will need to pay to activate Autopilot. Will Tesla offer “Enhanced Autopilot” as it currently does to Model S and Model X buyers, or will Model 3 only be available with Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving Capability“?
As Daniel Sparks of The Motley Fool points out, Model S and X customers can enable Enhanced Autopilot for $5,000 before delivery and $6,000 afterwards. Buyers have the option to add Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Capability for an additional $3,000 before or after delivery.
The biggest uncertainty that faces Tesla is its projected production ramp-up. Musk will hand over 30 Model 3s at the delivery event on Friday. From there, production will increase exponentially until roughly 10,000 vehicles are produced per week in 2018.
Recent Model 3 sightings have indicated that at least seven Model 3s have already been produced by Tesla.
In the final days leading up to Friday’s Model 3 delivery event, several factors remain important for investors. Production is expected to kick into a higher gear and Musk’s processes and logistics will be tested following the official Model 3 event. For investors, this will be the defining moment on whether Musk’s vision for a high volume, affordable electric car is possible.
The delivery event will also feature presentations from Musk on Tesla’s grand vision for a sustainable future. Teslarati will have live, behind-the-scenes coverage of the launch event. Follow us @Teslarati on Twitter for in-depth coverage of the event.
Investor's Corner
Tesla welcomes Chipotle President Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.

Tesla has welcomed Chipotle president Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors. Hartung will officially start his tenure at the electric vehicle maker on June 1, 2025.
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.
Jack Hartung’s Role
With Hartung’s addition, the Tesla Board will now have nine members. It’s been a while since the company added a new director. Prior to Hartung, the last addition to the Tesla Board was Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia back in 2022. As noted in a Reuters report, Hartung will serve on the Tesla Board’s audit committee. He will also retire from his position as president and chief strategy officer at Chipotle, and transition into a senior advisor’s role at the restaurant chain, next month.
Hartung has had a long career in the Mexican grill, joining Chipotle in 2002. He held several positions in the company, most recently serving as Chipotle’s President and Chief Strategy Officer. Tesla highlighted Hartung’s accomplishments in a post on its official account on X.
“Over the past 20+ years under Jack’s financial leadership, Chipotle has seen significant growth with over 3,700 restaurants today across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Jack was named ‘CFO of the Year’ by Orange County Business Journal and Best CFO in the restaurant category by Institutional Investor,” Tesla wrote in its post on X.
Tesla Board and Musk
Tesla is a controversial company with a controversial CEO, so it is no surprise that the Board of Directors tend to get flak as well. Two weeks ago, for example, Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm slammed The Wall Street Journal for publishing an article alleging that company directors had considered a search for a potential successor to Elon Musk. Denholm herself has also been criticized for offloading her TSLA shares.
More recently, news emerged suggesting that the Tesla Board of Directors had formed a special committee aimed at exploring a new pay package for CEO Elon Musk. The committee is reportedly comprised of Tesla board Chair Robyn Denholm and independent director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, and they would be exploring alternative compensation methods for Musk’s contributions to the company.
Investor's Corner
Rivian stock rises as analysts boost price targets post Q1 earnings
Rivian impressed with smaller-than-expected losses & strong revenue, pushing analysts to raise price targets.

Rivian stock is gaining traction as Wall Street analysts raise price targets following the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s first-quarter earnings report. Despite a dip after the announcement, optimism surrounds Rivian’s cost control and upcoming lower-priced cars.
Last week, Rivian reported a better-than-expected Q1 gross profit, surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts with adjusted losses of $0.48 per share against expectations of $0.92 per share. The company also reported a revenue of $1.24 billion compared to the $1.01 billion anticipated.
However, the EV automaker cut its 2025 delivery forecast and capital spending due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It explained that it is “not immune to the impacts of the global trade and economic environment.” RIVN stock dropped nearly 6% post-earnings, closing at $12.72 per share.
Wall Street remains upbeat about Rivian, citing progress toward launching lower-priced vehicles in 2026 and effective cost management. On Monday, Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro raised his RIVN price target to $18 from $16, maintaining a “Buy” rating. He highlighted Rivian’s “solid progress” toward key milestones.
Conversely, Bernstein’s Daniel Roeska gave RIVN a “Sell” rating. However, Roeska also lifted his Rivian price target to $7.05 from $6.10, acknowledging “better” Q1 results. He warned that profitability remains distant and hinges on multiple product launches by the decade’s end.
Overall, Wall Street’s average price target for RIVN climbed from $14.18 to $14.31, a modest 13-cent increase reflecting positive sentiment. About one-third of analysts covering Rivian rate it a Buy, compared to the S&P 500’s average Buy-rating ratio of 55%.
On Monday, Rivian stock rose 2.7% to $14.64, slightly trailing the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, which gained 3.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The uptick may also stem from broader market gains tied to news of a temporary U.S.-China tariff suspension.
As Rivian navigates trade challenges and scales production at its Illinois factory, its Q1 performance and analyst support signal resilience. With lower-priced EVs on the horizon, Rivian’s strategic moves could bolster its position in the competitive EV market, offering investors cautious optimism for long-term growth.
Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) poised to hit $1 trillion valuation again amid reports of Trump China deal
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket.

Tesla shares (NASDAQ:TSLA) are on a tear on Monday’s premarket amidst reports that the United States and China have agreed to significantly roll back tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial 90-day period.
As of writing, the premarket price of TSLA shares suggests that the electric vehicle maker might end Monday with a $1 trillion valuation once more.
Tesla and China
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket. As noted in a report from Barron’s, these prices suggest that the company could achieve a trillion-dollar valuation again, a level not seen since late February. Similar to Tesla, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were also up 2.8% and 2.1%, respectively, on Monday’s premarket.
The United States and China’s decision to roll back its tariffs would likely be appreciated by CEO Elon Musk. Despite working for the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and despite Tesla being least affected by the Trump administration’s tariffs due to its strong domestic supply chains in the United States, China, and Europe, Musk has noted that he is a supporter of non-predatory tariffs.
The United States and China’s Agreement
In a joint statement from the United States and China posted on the White House’s official website, the two countries agreed to lower reciprocal tariffs on each other by 115% for 90 days. This means that the United States will temporarily lower its overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, as noted in an ABC 12 report. China, on the other hand, will also lower its tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%.
The talks were led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as per the joint statement. Bessent shared his thoughts about the matter in a comment in Geneva. “The consensus from both delegations is neither side wants to be decoupled, and what have occurred with these very high tariffs … was an equivalent of an embargo, and neither side wants that. We do want trade. We want more balance in trade. And I think both sides are committed to achieving that,” he said.
A spokesperson from China’s Commerce Ministry also shared a statement about the matter. As per the spokesperson, the deal was an “important step by both sides to resolve differences through equal-footing dialogue and consultation, laying the groundwork and creating conditions for further bridging gaps and deepening cooperation.”
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