

Investor's Corner
Tesla Model 3 ramp continues amid 4.6k new VIN registrations, higher US sales rankings
Tesla might have just finished a record third quarter, but the electric car maker seems set to push forward with its Model 3 ramp without missing a beat. Just yesterday, Tesla registered 4,609 new Model 3 VINs, ~85% of which are estimated to be Dual Motor. With this latest batch of filings, Tesla has registered a total of 122,517 Model 3 to date.
The recent batch of Model 3 VIN filings bode well for Tesla’s continued push for the electric car this Q4. Tesla’s chances this fourth quarter has gained the confidence of some Wall Street analysts, including Romit Shah of Nomura Instinet, who noted that Tesla might have hit its break-even point in the third quarter. The analyst also noted that as Telsa closes in on production and delivery numbers of 100,000 vehicles per quarter, the company could finally reach a point where it could be sustainably profitable.
#Tesla registered 4,609 new #Model3 VINs. ~85% estimated to be dual motor. Highest VIN is 122517. https://t.co/TBGgTxH3DS
— Model 3 VINs (@Model3VINs) October 3, 2018
It should be noted that Tesla’s production ramp for the Model 3 is only partly done. Tesla eventually aims to produce 10,000 units of the electric sedan every week, and so far, the company is only producing around half this number on average. Despite this, the Model 3’s disruption of the US auto market has started becoming notable, particularly in the sales figures of rival automakers in September. The Tesla Model 3 has slowly risen through the ranks of the US’ best-selling passenger cars over the past months. This became particularly notable in August, when the Model 3 was listed by auto sales tracking website GoodCarBadCar as the 5th best-selling passenger car in the United States.
The Model 3 went up GCBC‘s best-selling passenger cars list once more in September. Tesla sold an estimated 22,250 Model 3 in during the month, beating the Toyota Corolla Family for the No.4 spot. What’s particularly notable was that with the Model 3’s rise, the sales of the three vehicles above it — the Toyota Camry, the Honda Civic, and the Honda Accord — all saw a notable dive. Looking at September’s sales figures, the gap between the Model 3 and America’s best-selling passenger cars continues to get smaller.
The Tesla Model 3’s rankings at the auto sales tracking website’s overall list also improved. Last August, the Model 3 was listed by GoodCarBadCar as the 15th best-selling vehicle in the United States. In September, the Model 3 moved up two places, ranking as the 13th best-selling vehicle in the country, in a list that includes mainstream trucks and SUVs like the Ford F-150, Honda CR-V, and the Toyota Rav4.
Tesla’s fourth quarter seems poised to take the company towards even more milestones. Gigafactory 1, the company’s expansive facility in Nevada, is set to receive upgrades in the form of three new battery cell assembly lines from Panasonic. The new lines, which were initially estimated to be completed near the end of 2018, are now expected to be finished ahead of schedule. New Grohmann machines, which are designed to make module production three times cheaper and three times faster, are also set to be operational in Q4.
The Model 3 ramp has moved forward since the electric car’s production began last year. That said, there is still a lot that needs to be done. Other variants of the vehicle, such as the $35,000 base Model 3, as well as Right-Hand-Drive versions of the electric car, are yet to enter production. Both the Model 3 in Standard trim, as well as RHD versions, are expected to hit production next year.
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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