

Investor's Corner
Tesla registers over 10,000 new Model 3 VINs as Dual Motor production ramp continues
Tesla has registered two large batches totaling more than 10,000 new Model 3 VINs over the weekend, in what appears to be a sign of a renewed production push for the electric sedan. Both batches, the first being 2,625 registrations and the other being 7,903, are estimated to be comprised of dual motor AWD vehicles.
#Tesla registered 7,903 new #Model3 VINs. ~100% estimated to be dual motor. Highest VIN is 89107. https://t.co/OZqpp8nPjs
— Model 3 VINs (@Model3VINs) August 5, 2018
#Tesla registered 2,625 new #Model3 VINs. ~88% estimated to be dual motor. Highest VIN is 81204. https://t.co/SVarfCqPe5
— Model 3 VINs (@Model3VINs) August 4, 2018
With the addition of this weekend’s 10,528 new Model 3 filings, Tesla has now registered a total of 89,107 vehicles since the electric car started production last year. These latest filings are among Tesla’s most significant yet, considering that the company’s VIN registrations only went past the 10,000-mark near the end of January, roughly six months into the electric car’s production.
During Tesla’s Q2 2018 earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that Tesla was able to maintain the Model 3’s 5,000/week production rate across multiple weeks in July. Musk’s statement about the Model 3’s production falls in line with the trend displayed by VIN registrations during the first two weeks of the month. Immediately after the beginning of Q3 2018, Tesla went on a VIN-filing spree, registering 19,000 new Model 3 VINs in the first half of July.
During the latter half of last month, however, Tesla’s VIN filings plateaued, with the company registering only a few vehicles at a time until this weekend. Quite interestingly, these last two big batches of VIN filings also corresponded to dual motor variants of the Model 3. Twitter watchdog group @Model3VINs initially estimated the first batch of 2,625 Model 3 VINs to include Long Range RWD variants of the electric car, but in the following update, the group noted that all the filings appeared to be dual motor.
Tesla has only started rolling out the dual motor AWD and Performance variants of the Model 3 recently. Nevertheless, Tesla worldwide head of sales Robin Ren stated during the second quarter earnings call that the dual motor AWD and Performance Model 3’s combined orders are now more than the orders for the vehicle’s Long Range RWD variant. The Tesla executive further noted that interest in the Model 3 remains high, with the company having 60,000 test drive requests for the electric sedan in the United States alone.
If Robin Ren’s statements and the recent Model 3 VIN filings are any indications, it appears that Tesla’s push to upsell the higher-end variants of the electric car to consumers is starting to pay off. Tesla, after all, stopped anti-selling the vehicle after the end of Q2 2018, offering test drives to customers and promoting the Model 3 Performance. In a Twitter post, Elon Musk also encouraged reservation holders to test drive the Model 3 Performance even if they do not have orders for the top-tier vehicle.
With its 5,000/week target for the Model 3’s production being met, Tesla is now aiming to sustain and increase its manufacturing capability for the electric car. During his opening remarks in the Q2 2018 earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that Tesla is aiming to produce 7,000 vehicles per week throughout Q3 2018. Musk also noted that Tesla is expecting its ramp to 10,000 Model 3 per week to involve only a “tiny fraction” of the CapEx used when it ramped the vehicle to 5,000 units per week.
Investor's Corner
Tesla could save $2.5B by replacing 10% of staff with Optimus: Morgan Stanley
Jonas assigned each robot a net present value (NPV) of $200,000.

Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) near-term outlook may be clouded by political controversies and regulatory headwinds, but Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas sees a glimmer of opportunity for the electric vehicle maker.
In a new note, the Morgan Stanley analyst estimated that Tesla could save $2.5 billion by replacing just 10% of its workforce with its Optimus robots, assigning each robot a net present value (NPV) of $200,000.
Morgan Stanley highlights Optimus’ savings potential
Jonas highlighted the potential savings on Tesla’s workforce of 125,665 employees in his note, suggesting that the utilization of Optimus robots could significantly reduce labor costs. The analyst’s note arrived shortly after Tesla reported Q2 2025 deliveries of 384,122 vehicles, which came close to Morgan Stanley’s estimate and slightly under the consensus of 385,086.
“Tesla has 125,665 employees worldwide (year-end 2024). On our calculations, a 10% substitution to humanoid at approximately ($200k NPV/humanoid) could be worth approximately $2.5bn,” Jonas wrote, as noted by Street Insider.
Jonas also issued some caution on Tesla Energy, whose battery storage deployments were flat year over year at 9.6 GWh. Morgan Stanley had expected Tesla Energy to post battery storage deployments of 14 GWh in the second quarter.
Musk’s political ambitions
The backdrop to Jonas’ note included Elon Musk’s involvement in U.S. politics. The Tesla CEO recently floated the idea of launching a new political party, following a poll on X that showed support for the idea. Though a widely circulated FEC filing was labeled false by Musk, the CEO does seem intent on establishing a third political party in the United States.
Jonas cautioned that Musk’s political efforts could divert attention and resources from Tesla’s core operations, adding near-term pressure on TSLA stock. “We believe investors should be prepared for further devotion of resources (financial, time/attention) in the direction of Mr. Musk’s political priorities which may add further near-term pressure to TSLA shares,” Jonas stated.
Investor's Corner
Two Tesla bulls share differing insights on Elon Musk, the Board, and politics
Two noted Tesla bulls have shared differing views on the recent activities of CEO Elon Musk and the company’s leadership.

Two noted Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) bulls have shared differing views on the recent activities of CEO Elon Musk and the company’s leadership.
While Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called on Tesla’s board to take concrete steps to ensure Musk remains focused on the EV maker, longtime Tesla supporter Cathie Wood of Ark Invest reaffirmed her confidence in the CEO and the company’s leadership.
Ives warns of distraction risk amid crucial growth phase
In a recent note, Ives stated that Tesla is at a critical point in its history, as the company is transitioning from an EV maker towards an entity that is more focused on autonomous driving and robotics. He then noted that the Board of Directors should “act now” and establish formal boundaries around Musk’s political activities, which could be a headwind on TSLA stock.
Ives laid out a three-point plan that he believes could ensure that the electric vehicle maker is led with proper leadership until the end of the decade. First off, the analyst noted that a new “incentive-driven pay package for Musk as CEO that increases his ownership of Tesla up to ~25% voting power” is necessary. He also stated that the Board should establish clear guidelines for how much time Musk must devote to Tesla operations in order to receive his compensation, and a dedicated oversight committee must be formed to monitor the CEO’s political activities.
Ives, however, highlighted that Tesla should move forward with Musk at its helm. “We urge the Board to act now and move the Tesla story forward with Musk as CEO,” he wrote, reiterating its Outperform rating on Tesla stock and $500 per share price target.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to Ives’ suggestions with a brief comment on X. “Shut up, Dan,” Musk wrote.
Cathie Wood reiterates trust in Musk and Tesla board
Meanwhile, Ark Investment Management founder Cathie Wood expressed little concern over Musk’s latest controversies. In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Wood said, “We do trust the board and the board’s instincts here and we stay out of politics.” She also noted that Ark has navigated Musk-related headlines since it first invested in Tesla.
Wood also pointed to Musk’s recent move to oversee Tesla’s sales operations in the U.S. and Europe as evidence of his renewed focus in the electric vehicle maker. “When he puts his mind on something, he usually gets the job done,” she said. “So I think he’s much less distracted now than he was, let’s say, in the White House 24/7,” she said.
TSLA stock is down roughly 25% year-to-date but has gained about 19% over the past 12 months, as noted in a StocksTwits report.
Investor's Corner
Cantor Fitzgerald maintains Tesla (TSLA) ‘Overweight’ rating amid Q2 2025 deliveries
Cantor Fitzgerald is holding firm on its bullish stance for the electric vehicle maker.

Cantor Fitzgerald is holding firm on its bullish stance for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), reiterating its “Overweight” rating and $355 price target amidst the company’s release of its Q2 2025 vehicle delivery and production report.
Tesla delivered 384,122 vehicles in Q2 2025, falling below last year’s Q2 figure of 443,956 units. Despite softer demand in some countries in Europe and ongoing controversies surrounding CEO Elon Musk, the firm maintained its view that Tesla is a long-term growth story in the EV sector.
Tesla’s Q2 results
Among the 384,122 vehicles that Tesla delivered in the second quarter, 373,728 were Model 3 and Model Y. The remaining 10,394 units were attributed to the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck. Production was largely flat year-over-year at 410,244 units.
In the energy division, Tesla deployed 9.6 GWh of energy storage in Q2, which was above last year’s 9.4 GWh. Overall, Tesla continues to hold a strong position with $95.7 billion in trailing twelve-month revenue and a 17.7% gross margin, as noted in a report from Investing.com.
Tesla’s stock is still volatile
Tesla’s market cap fell to $941 billion on Monday amid volatility that was likely caused in no small part by CEO Elon Musk’s political posts on X over the weekend. Musk has announced that he is forming the America Party to serve as a third option for voters in the United States, a decision that has earned the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite Musk’s controversial nature, some analysts remain bullish on TSLA stock. Apart from Cantor Fitzgerald, Canaccord Genuity also reiterated its “Buy” rating on Tesla shares, with the firm highlighting the company’s positive Q2 vehicle deliveries, which exceeded its expectations by 24,000 units. Cannacord also noted that Tesla remains strong in several markets despite its year-over-year decline in deliveries.
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