Investor's Corner
Tesla’s end-of-Q3 Model 3 production and delivery ramp looks like an electric car invasion
It seems that Tesla board member Kimbal Musk was not kidding when he noted in a CNBC Closing Bell segment that the number of Model 3 which would appear in US roads near the end of September would be shocking to some. After Tesla’s volunteer-boosted delivery weekend — which saw members of the community dedicating some of their time to help out new owners with the features and functions of their electric cars — it is starting to become evident that Q3 2018 could be the quarter when the Model 3 starts its invasion of the US passenger car market.
The Model 3 is Tesla’s most ambitious vehicle. Radically designed from the ground up, the Model 3 was the car that would determine Tesla’s future. Elon Musk himself dubbed the vehicle as a “bet-the-company” situation, where its success or failure would equate to Tesla’s own rise or fall. It took a while for Tesla to hit its stride with Model 3 production, with the company only hitting its then-mythical goal of manufacturing 5,000 of the electric sedans in a week by the end of Q2 2018, six months later than initially expected.

The Model 3 has started to show its potential in the US passenger car market over the past months. Back in July, sales estimates from auto tracking website GoodCarBadCar suggested that Tesla sold 14,250 Model 3 in the month, making it 7th place in America’s list of best-selling passenger cars. Considering that mainstream, lower-priced vehicles like the Toyota Camry and the Honda Civic were included in GCBC‘s list, the Model 3’s 7th place was more than respectable.
While the Model 3’s sales in July were undoubtedly impressive, its August estimates were even more noteworthy. With an expected 20,450 units sold during August, the Model 3 became the 5th-best-selling passenger car in the US, beating out the Hyundai Elantra and the Nissan Altima. The Model 3 was even listed as the 15th-best-selling vehicle in GCBC‘s overall Top 20 list, which includes titans like the Ford F-150 and the Toyota Rav4.
plenty of time to cover your puts before they go to zero $TSLAQ $TSLA pic.twitter.com/vOcuGyZtfw
— myname (@cbotnyse) September 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/danahull/status/1043655097819979776
It is no secret that Tesla has a tendency to initiate a blitz of deliveries and production before a quarter ends. The company did this in Q1 when it was struggling to build 2,500 Model 3 in a week, and it adopted the same strategy for Q2 when it was trying to manufacture 5,000 of the electric sedans in a seven-day period. This third quarter, Tesla is aiming to produce 50,000-55,000 Model 3 — a record number of vehicles — while attaining profitability. For the company to get a shot at achieving these targets, cars have to be delivered to reservation holders. These efforts, of course, culminated in the recent volunteer-boosted delivery weekend.
As the Tesla community was mobilized in the United States and Canada, it soon became apparent that the company is moving a vast number of vehicles. In the United States, social media posts from Tesla owners shared images of numerous semitrailers transporting electric cars all across the country. Anecdotes from owners who volunteered in the weekend delivery push indicated that numerous vehicles were being moved to service centers, where reservation holders await them. Even a journalist who covers Tesla on a consistent basis shared a clip of a truck full of Model 3 being transported. In Canada, members of the Tesla community have also spotted large lots filled with Model 3, Model S, and Model X. Images taken of centers in British Columbia, Vancouver, Toronto, and Ontario, also depicted a busy, yet very productive volunteer-boosted weekend.
Lots and lots and lots of #Tesla 's .. three lots full plus a hall full of new S,X and 3's waiting delivery in Toronto.. Good luck shorts pic.twitter.com/Fw1UQMyv6y
— Avron (@Avron_p) September 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/TeslaArmy/status/1043960545014013952
In a letter to employees, Elon Musk wrote that Tesla is “about to have the most amazing quarter in (its) history, building and delivering more than twice as many cars as (it) did last quarter.” Kimbal Musk, for his part, noted that “it’s really gonna blow people’s minds how many Model 3s are gonna appear in America in just the next couple of weeks.” If Tesla’s busy delivery weekend, as well as the apparent invasion of electric cars being sighted in the US and Canada, are any indication, the company might very well exceed expectations this quarter. It will not even be surprising if the Tesla Model 3 moves up a couple more steps in GoodCarBadCar‘s list of best-selling passenger cars in the US for September.
Tesla has only been in the auto industry for 15 years, and over that time, it has transformed itself from a niche manufacturer that offered one small, quick, two-seater all-electric sports car into a company that is taking on veterans with premium electric cars that force legacy carmakers to come up with compelling EVs of their own. Tesla still has a long way to go before it masters the auto business, and Elon Musk himself would be the first to admit that gross miscalculations, such as the Model X’s overcomplicated design and the Model 3 ramp’s over-reliance on robots, have happened in the past. Despite this, Tesla remains a company that commands a strong following — one that is willing to pay it forward when needed.
Investor's Corner
Ron Baron states Tesla and SpaceX are lifetime investments
Baron, one of Tesla’s longest-standing bulls, reiterated that his personal stake in the company remains fully intact even as volatility pressures the broader market.
Billionaire investor Ron Baron says he isn’t touching a single share of his personal Tesla holdings despite the recent selloff in the tech sector. Baron, one of Tesla’s longest-standing bulls, reiterated that his personal stake in the company remains fully intact even as volatility pressures the broader market.
Baron doubles down on Tesla
Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Baron stated that he is largely unfazed by the market downturn, describing his approach during the selloff as simply “looking” for opportunities. He emphasized that Tesla remains the centerpiece of his long-term strategy, recalling that although Baron Funds once sold 30% of its Tesla position due to client pressure, he personally refused to trim any of his personal holdings.
“We sold 30% for clients. I did not sell personally a single share,” he said. Baron’s exposure highlighted this stance, stating that roughly 40% of his personal net worth is invested in Tesla alone. The legendary investor stated that he has already made about $8 billion from Tesla from an investment of $400 million when he started, and believes that figure could rise fivefold over the next decade as the company scales its technology, manufacturing, and autonomy roadmap.
A lifelong investment
Baron’s commitment extends beyond Tesla. He stated that he also holds about 25% of his personal wealth in SpaceX and another 35% in Baron mutual funds, creating a highly concentrated portfolio built around Elon Musk–led companies. During the interview, Baron revisited a decades-old promise he made to his fund’s board when he sought approval to invest in publicly traded companies.
“I told the board, ‘If you let me invest a certain amount of money, then I will promise that I won’t sell any of my stock. I will be the last person out of the stock,’” he said. “I will not sell a single share of my shares until my clients sold 100% of their shares. … And I don’t expect to sell in my lifetime Tesla or SpaceX.”
Watch Ron Baron’s CNBC interview below.
@teslarati :rotating_light: This is why you need to use off-peak rates at Tesla Superchargers! #tesla #evcharging #fyp ♬ Blue Moon – Muspace Lofi
Elon Musk
‘You chose ambition’: Tesla Chair hails shareholders for backing Elon Musk’s vision
Denholm stated that the vote highlighted TSLA investors’ continued confidence in both Musk’s leadership and Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, AI-driven future.
Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm has issued a letter to shareholders celebrating what she described as “overwhelming support” at this year’s Annual Meeting, framing the approval of Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar pay plan as a defining moment in Tesla’s mission.
Denholm stated that the vote highlighted TSLA investors’ continued confidence in both Musk’s leadership and Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, AI-driven future.
Denholm hails shareholder confidence
In her letter, which was posted by the electric vehicle maker on X through Tesla’s official handle, Denholm thanked investors for backing Proposals One, Three, and Four, items she said reaffirm Tesla’s “Master Plan Part IV” and its broader mission to accelerate sustainable prosperity. She characterized the shareholder vote as “a vote of confidence in our visionary leader, Elon,” crediting Musk with transforming Tesla into one of the most valuable companies in history.
“In a year when many tried to sow doubt and negativity, you chose a better future,” Denholm wrote. “You chose ambition. You chose to see what is possible. You chose to back the people who have been in the room since the earliest days, fighting for the mission that first brought us all together—a better world for humanity,” she wrote in her letter.
Her comments framed Musk’s pay package approval not only as a governance milestone but as a symbolic endorsement of Tesla’s long-term trajectory across autonomy, AI, and energy innovation.
“A whole new book” of innovation
Denholm highlighted Tesla’s push toward autonomy as the company’s next major growth phase, citing the Robotaxi program and Optimus humanoid robot as examples of bringing artificial intelligence “into the physical world.” She described this period as potentially “the largest value-creation event in Tesla’s history, and quite possibly in the history of humanity.”
The letter reaffirmed the board’s commitment to direct engagement with shareholders through Tesla’s online platform and live events. Denholm emphasized that feedback from investors “informs our strategy and strengthens us” as Tesla prepares for new technology rollouts and expanded AI capabilities.
“You, our shareholders, have given us the mandate and the runway to execute. We are humbled, and rest assured that we do not take that responsibility lightly… Thank you for believing in Tesla. Thank you for standing with us. We look forward to years of bold leadership and pioneering innovation, fueled by our commitment to creating a better future for all,” she wrote.
Elon Musk
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey endorses Elon Musk Tesla pay package
Dorsey framed the pay package as an engineering and governance crossroads for Tesla.
Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey has publicly backed Elon Musk’s leadership ahead of Tesla’s pivotal shareholder vote, which is expected to be decided later today at the company’s 2025 annual meeting.
Dorsey framed the pay package as an engineering and governance crossroads for Tesla.
Dorsey’s public nod framed as an engineering defense of Musk
In a post on X, Dorsey weighed in on Tesla’s post about being in a “critical inflection point.” As per the Twitter-co-founder, the vote on Musk’s 2025 performance award is not about compensation. Instead, it’s about ensuring the path for the company’s engineering in the coming years.
“This is not about compensation. it’s about ensuring a principled (and exciting!) engineering approach to the company’s future,” Dorsey wrote on his post, later stating that users of Cash app with TSLA shares would be able to vote for the CEO’s proposed 2025 performance award.
Elon Musk appreciated Dorsey’s endorsement, responding to the Twitter co-founder’s post with a heart emoji. Musk has been pretty thankful for the support for is fellow tech executives, also thanking Michael Dell recently, who also advocated for its proposed 2025 performance award.
Musk’s support
While Elon Musk’s 2025 performance award has received opposition from proxy advisors such as Glass Lewis and ISS, it has received quite a lot of support from longtime bulls such as ARK Invest, and, more recently, Schwab Asset Management following calls from TSLA retail shareholders.
“Schwab Asset Management’s approach to voting on proxy matters is thorough and deliberate. We utilize a structured process that focuses on protecting and promoting shareholder value. We apply our own internal guidelines and do not rely on recommendations from Glass Lewis or ISS. In accordance with this process, Schwab Asset Management intends to vote in favor of the 2025 CEO performance award proposal. We firmly believe that supporting this proposal aligns both management and shareholder interests, ensuring the best outcome for all parties involved,” Charles Schwab told Teslarati.
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