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Tesla Stock Soars 16+% in 1 Day
Tesla’s Model S sedan is red hot.
By Silicon Valley standards, 10-year-old Tesla Motors is middle-aged. But in the world of automotive startups, it’s just crossed a threshold few fledgling companies ever get near: profitability. Late last night California time — in time to make it clear this was no April Fools joke — the company announced it has delivered 4750 cars in the first quarter and expected to report an accounting profit when it announces its official results next month. While the company’s vehicles lack engines, in the past 6 months, it’s begun to hit on all cylinders:
- Shipments of the Model S sedan begin late last year with 2400 delivered in the fourth quarter. The company nearly doubled that in the next 3 months.
- Tesla launched its high-speed “Supercharger” charging stations, which allow recharging half the battery pack in about 30 minutes. Last week, it announced plans to expand the network in the Pacific northwest, Texas, Illinois, and Florida, while improving coverage in the initial regions in the northeast and California.
- The company announced a plan to pay back its Department of Energy loan 5 years ahead of schedule, by the end of 2017. This $465 million loan, part of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program, was essential to the launch of the Model S and came at a time when Tesla’s future was very much in doubt.
Today, though, that future looks bright enough that the naysayers holding more than 30 million shares short may be wishing they were betting against something else. CEO Elon Musk mentioned on Twitter last week that he had a big announcement to make regarding Tesla (due tomorrow) and clarified last night that this isn’t it: “Also, some may differ, but imo the Tues news is arguably more important,” he wrote. Depending on the nature of that, I may be back with another post.
There was some more interesting news in yesterday’s press release on profitability. The company canceled an option to buy the Model S with the smallest battery, a version that retailed for just around $52,000 after the federal tax credit. Why? Lack of demand. It seems only 4% of buyers were opting for that smallest configuration. They’ll still get it, but instead of producing a battery that small, Tesla will sell them a car with the mid-sized battery and disable part of the capacity in software. If owners — present or future — wish to upgrade to the larger capacity, Tesla will allow them to purchase some software magic to make it happen. The mid-sized battery offers a range of just over 200 miles per the EPA and the smallest battery has about 2/3 the capacity. Given there was a $10,000 gap between the two, it’s noteworthy that people were rejecting the smallest battery so clearly.
This points out the radically different approach Tesla is taking versus Nissan with the Leaf and really everyone else building electric vehicles right now. The two sizes of Tesla people are choosing are 200+ mile vehicle while the other brands are sold as 70-80 mile commuter vehicles. Apparently, a “tweener” that gets around 140 miles wasn’t something Tesla customers wanted and might not be appealing to much of anyone as it doesn’t really address the “go almost anywhere” problem Tesla is solving and doesn’t really do much for commuters. (More than 80% of commutes in the U.S. can be made roundtrip in a Leaf.)
In addition to eliminating the small battery, Tesla also decided to build access to the Supercharger network in every car. It was already standard with the largest battery and is still an option with the smaller one, but now you can decide to add the option after purchase because — again — it’s a software change. The Superchargers are free “fill-ups” along highway corridors, but those with the smaller battery will pay $2000 for the privilege. This software-upgradeable car might not be as much of a milestone as a 200+ mile EV is, but it has already become a hallmark of the way Tesla works and really shows how Silicon Valley DNA can be an important part of this 21st century automaker.
When the company announced its earnings last quarter, the news actually disappointed investors. On some level, that was odd because the quarter inherently represented a transition where production was ramping up and it would be hard to really get a sense of what the business looked like on a steady-state basis. This quarter, however, is going to provide a very real snapshot into Tesla as a business. Through the rest of 2013 and well into next year, the company is likely to look as it does this quarter, with small improvements in unit shipments and gross margin over each quarter until the company begins delivering its Model X crossover late in 2014. None of that is likely exciting to watch, but it is likely to be material financially.
If deliveries do creep into the range of 6000-7000 per quarter — which is expected — and the company hits its gross margin goal of 25% by year end, this quarter’s profit is going to be pretty small compared to the ones set to come. It’s this kind of steady profitable growth upon which you build a company that will be around for a long time to come. And with the focus on larger batteries and more Superchargers, Tesla seems to be saying its cars are going to run long and far as well.
Tesla has rolled out a new Supercharging safety feature in the United States, one that will answer concerns that some owners may have if they need to leave in a pinch.
It is also a suitable alternative for non-Tesla chargers, like third-party options that feature J1772 or CCS to NACS adapters.
The feature has been available in Europe for some time, but it is now rolling out to Model 3 and Model Y owners in the U.S.
With Software Update 2026.2.3, Tesla is launching the Unlatching Charge Cable function, which will now utilize the left rear door handle to release the charging cable from the port. The release notes state:
“Charging can now be stopped and the charge cable released by pulling and holding the rear left door handle for three seconds, provided the vehicle is unlocked, and a recognized key is nearby. This is especially useful when the charge cable doesn’t have an unlatch button. You can still release the cable using the vehicle touchscreen or the Tesla app.”
The feature was first spotted by Not a Tesla App.
This is an especially nice feature for those who commonly charge at third-party locations that utilize plugs that are not NACS, which is the Tesla standard.
For example, after plugging into a J1772 charger, you will still be required to unlock the port through the touchscreen, which is a minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.
Additionally, it could be viewed as a safety feature, especially if you’re in need of unlocking the charger from your car in a pinch. Simply holding open the handle on the rear driver’s door will now unhatch the port from the car, allowing you to pull it out and place it back in its housing.
This feature is currently only available on the Model 3 and Model Y, so Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck owners will have to wait for a different solution to this particular feature.
News
LG Energy Solution pursuing battery deal for Tesla Optimus, other humanoid robots: report
Optimus is expected to be one of Tesla’s most ambitious projects, with Elon Musk estimating that the humanoid robot could be the company’s most important product.
A recent report has suggested that LG Energy Solution is in discussions to supply batteries for Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot.
Optimus is expected to be one of Tesla’s most ambitious projects, with Elon Musk estimating that the humanoid robot could be the company’s most important product.
Humanoid robot battery deals
LG Energy Solution shares jumped more than 11% on the 28th after a report from the Korea Economic Daily claimed that the company is pursuing battery supply and joint development agreements with several humanoid robot makers. These reportedly include Tesla, which is developing Optimus, as well as multiple Chinese robotics companies.
China is already home to several leading battery manufacturers, such as CATL and BYD, making the robot makers’ reported interest in LG Energy Solution quite interesting. Market participants interpreted the reported outreach as a signal that performance requirements for humanoid robots may favor battery chemistries developed by companies like LG.
LF Energy Solution vs rivals
According to the report, energy density is believed to be the primary reason humanoid robot developers are evaluating LG Energy Solution’s batteries. Unlike electric vehicles, humanoid robots have significantly less space available for battery packs while requiring substantial power to operate dozens of joint motors and onboard artificial intelligence processors.
LG Energy Solution’s ternary lithium batteries offer higher energy density compared with rivals’ lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are widely used by Chinese EV manufacturers. That advantage could prove critical for humanoid robots, where runtime, weight, and compact packaging are key design constraints.
News
Tesla receives approval for FSD Supervised tests in Sweden
Tesla confirmed that it has been granted permission to test FSD Supervised vehicles across Sweden in a press release.
Tesla has received regulatory approval to begin tests of its Full Self-Driving Supervised system on public roads in Sweden, a notable step in the company’s efforts to secure FSD approval for the wider European market.
FSD Supervised testing in Sweden
Tesla confirmed that it has been granted permission to test FSD Supervised vehicles across Sweden following cooperation with national authorities and local municipalities. The approval covers the Swedish Transport Administration’s entire road network, as well as urban and highways in the Municipality of Nacka.
Tesla shared some insights into its recent FSD approvals in a press release. “The approval shows that cooperation between authorities, municipalities and businesses enables technological leaps and Nacka Municipality is the first to become part of the transport system of the future. The fact that the driving of the future is also being tested on Swedish roads is an important step in the development towards autonomy in real everyday traffic,” the company noted.
With approval secured for FSD tests, Tesla can now evaluate the system’s performance in diverse environments, including dense urban areas and high-speed roadways across Sweden, as noted in a report from Allt Om Elbil. Tesla highlighted that the continued development of advanced driver assistance systems is expected to pave the way for improved traffic safety, increased accessibility, and lower emissions, particularly in populated city centers.
Tesla FSD Supervised Europe rollout
FSD Supervised is already available to drivers in several global markets, including Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States. The system is capable of handling city and highway driving tasks such as steering, acceleration, braking, and lane changes, though it still requires drivers to supervise the vehicle’s operations.
Tesla has stated that FSD Supervised has accumulated extensive driving data from its existing markets. In Europe, however, deployment remains subject to regulatory approval, with Tesla currently awaiting clearance from relevant authorities.
The company reiterated that it expects to start rolling out FSD Supervised to European customers in early 2026, pending approvals. It would then be unsurprising if the company secures approvals for FSD tests in other European territories in the coming months.
Tesla rolls out new Supercharging safety feature in the U.S.
LG Energy Solution pursuing battery deal for Tesla Optimus, other humanoid robots: report
