Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) 2021 annual shareholder meeting comes at a historic time for the company. After delivering a record 241,300 cars in Q3 2021 and producing 237,823 vehicles in the quarter, all eyes are now on Tesla and its capability to ramp even higher in the the fourth quarter.
Unlike the previous years, Tesla’s 2021 annual meeting of stockholders is completely virtual. A livestream of the meeting could be found here. Topics that will be discussed by the company remain to be seen, though questions submitted to Say, an Investor Relations platform, include inquiries about a potential stock split, Cybertruck production, dividends, and 4680 cell production.
The following are live updates from Tesla’s 2021 annual shareholder meeting. I will be updating this article in real-time, so please keep refreshing the page every minute or two to view the latest updates on this story.
15:51 PT – And that’s a wrap! Thanks once more for staying with us for this Live Blog. This year was definitely great. Lots of new updates, and high-spirits Elon is always welcome. Till next time then, everyone! Now signing off!
15:50 PT – Elon notes that Giga Texas would be making the Cybertruck and the Tesla ATV. He admits that ATVs are inherently dangerous. So Tesla’s goal would be to make the least dangerous ATV. Low center of gravity and everything. “You’ve got to have one with a Cybertruck.” As for electric planes? “Maybe one day,” Elon said.
15:48 PT – More energy storage projects will likely happen in Texas. Elon notes that Tesla is in talks with ERCOT for more potential projects. As for Tesla Insurance, it’s a regulatory labyrinth, Elon notes. “There’s a zillion applications, and you have to wait for a long time. And most of it is state-by-state,” the CEO added, though he notes that Tesla Insurance is launching in Texas next week.
15:43 PT – Tesla’s first off-planet factory? “I like the way you think. I’d like to see one before I’m dead though,” Elon noted. Oh and Elon’s Safety Score? “I don’t know actually. Yeah, I don’t know what it is, because mine just got turned on. I’ll find out,” he said.
15:41 PT – Elon notes that lithium is plentiful. It’s so plentiful that it’s actually harder to find places where there is no lithium. “What actually matters is the cathode. Our long-range vehicles use a nickel-based cathode. But for our Standard Range vehicles and stationary vehicles, we’re using iron-based cathode,” Musk said, adding that while nickel is not rare, iron is just that much plentiful.
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15:39 PT – Audience questions begin! Elon jokingly tells the audience to just yell out their questions since there’s no microphone. Unfortunately, the audio is lacking. However, Elon responds to the inquiry by stating that the annual global capacity is about 100 million per year. So mining for battery materials will stop when the transportation sector becomes electric. By this time, key battery components could be recycled. This will happen in about 30-40 years, Elon said.
15:38 PT – Elon highlights the importance of solar and batteries. He notes that he was in a friend’s house when he experienced the Texas freeze earlier this year. Unfortunately, his friend had neither solar nor Powerwall, so they essentially froze themselves out in the dark. The CEO also confirms that yes, FSD Beta 10.2 is on track for a rollout Friday night to owners who have a perfect Safety Score. “It’s looking really good,” he said.
15:33 PT – And here’s a question on a Tesla Minibus. Elon notes that he is actually a big fan of the original VW Minibus. “I think over time, I think Tesla would make all major variants of vehicles. One in every significant category,” he notes. As for Solar Roof, Musk notes that the company is actually making some rapid progress. “Energy, in general, got shortchanged since we were focused on Model 3 production. It was all hands on deck. So we’re a couple of years behind on that. But I think we’re making progress on Solar Roof,” Musk said, adding that Solar Roof is currently far more efficient with new home builders. It’s just harder to have the Solar Roof retrofitted to an existing roof.
15:29 PT – Elon also notes that Tesla’s next Gigafactories would not necessarily be bigger by footprint, but they would be more and more advanced. This pretty much confirms that the “Terafactory” concept would probably not be that much larger than the company’s current Gigafactories. But their output would be nothing but insane. “Not all Gigafactories will get bigger with each iteration. They will get more advanced and more efficient,” Musk said.
15:28 PT – As for the ramp of Tesla Energy, Elon notes that this year has not been a good guide for Energy’s progress, since the company’s battery storage products have taken a step back compared to the company’s vehicles. Oh, and there’s no “Model 2.” “The ‘Model 2’ is not a car,” Elon said.
15:26 PT – Dividend plans? Elon notes that there are no plans for dividends for now.
15:25 PT – Any new factories? Musk laughs a bit, adding that building factories is pretty hard. “Hmm. I think we’ll start scanning for locations next year. But I think we can do a lot with Berlin and Austin and expanding in China and Fremont, so the nice thing is having a factory in Europe, China, and North America. We’ll at least have factories for high-volume products in places where customers are,” Musk said.
15:24 PT – Tesla next-gen Roadster is coming on 2023, hopefully. The production of the 4680 cells would likely not start in Texas this year, but Kato is ramping. Musk notes that for all intents and purposes, the Kato site is a big battery plant on its own with its 10 GWh capacity. “In Tesla land, it takes longer to build the factory than to reach high volume production,” Musk said. He uses Giga Shanghai as an example, as it was built in 11 months, but it took 12 months to reach volume production.
15:23 PT – Tesla starts taking on the Say questions. First up is about Cybertruck production. Elon highlights that Tesla is limited with the supply chain shortages, and not just chips either. So even if the company produces the Semi and Cybertruck now, there won’t be any volume anyway since the supply chain is strained. Initial production of the Cybertruck and Semi should start next year, with volume production in 2023.
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15:20 PT – “We’ll continue to expand in California significantly. But even more so here in Texas,” Musk said.
15:19 PT – And Tesla’s headquarters is now in Austin, Texas. The announcement was met with much applause. And that logo looks sick! This does not mean that Tesla is “leaving” California, however.
15:18 PT – Elon talks about AI Day, and states that it was necessary to shift the perception of what Tesla really is. “Tesla is as much a software company as a hardware company,” Musk said. He did state that AI Day was successful, as the company received an influx of applications for its AI Team. This means that the Tesla Bot is really a go?
15:16 PT – Elon addresses some of the concerns about methane and batteries. “You can recycle batteries. It pays to do recycling for batteries,” Musk said. He adds that he experienced the Texas blackouts personally. He notes that things would have been better if houses had solar and Powerwall when the blackouts happened. Elon also adds that Tesla’s factory safety has improved to about 18% above the industry standard. “Our goal is to have the safest factory on Earth,” he said.
15:14 PT – Elon proposes the carbon tax. “Can there be a carbon tax, what the hell?” Elon jokes. “It’s really needed,” he added.
15:13 PT – The Fremont Factory is set to be optimized further, however. Needless to say, Tesla seems to be on a path to produce large numbers of its vehicles in the coming years. Elon also cites Tesla’s Impact Report, and how the company reaaallllyyyy tries to do the right thing. 🙂 *insert a well-timed eye-roll from the CEO here.*
15:10 PT – Elon reiterates that the fundamental good of Tesla would be determined by how the company could accelerate the advent of sustainable energy. Elon Musk confirms that Giga Shanghai now exceeds the Fremont Factory. He praises Giga Shanghai, for its amazing vehicle quality, operational efficiency, and low drama. That’s not a bad combination at all.
15:09 PT – Elon notes that he likes fusion as an idea, but there’s a giant fusion reactor in the sky that we can tap into every day. So why not use it?
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15:08 PT – Elon adds that Tesla has had difficult years financially. He jokes that he definitely does not want to revisit those years. The CEO also adds that Tesla’s finances should be even better, especially as FSD matures. Elon did admit that Tesla has had to raise vehicle prices for a bit due to the supply shortages, but hopefully, these are just temporary. He also reiterates Tesla’s need for more batteries. Batteries from suppliers, and more from Tesla. “As many cells as you can supply to us, no limit,” Musk said, referring to conversations he’s had with Tesla’s battery suppliers.
15:04 PT – Elon notes that Tesla is growing like crazy. But only if the chip shortage alleviates soon. He notes that the Model 3 has become the best-selling premium vehicle globally. “I almost got arrested for claiming that we’ll do 5,000 (Model 3) a week. Well, who’s laughing now,” Elon laughs. Oh, and the Model Y would be even more successful. Tesla just needs Berlin and Austin to get online.
15:03 PT – Elon’s here, dressed for Texas. He starts off by thanking the Tesla team for getting the company to where it is today. He cites the company’s record deliveries and production.
15:02 PT – Now we’re just waiting for Elon. And he’s here.
15:00 PT – Viecha notes that the polls are now closed. Tesla shareholders have approved most of the company’s suggestions. And now that the voting has been adjourned, we now move to the company’s updates, with Elon Musk at the helm. Here we go.
14:58 PT – So far, four out of five proposals have focused on worker/human rights.
14:56 PT – Viecha explains that the next “No” recommendation from Tesla involves additional reporting on human rights. A member of the Sisters of Good Shepherd New York cites the human rights impact of cobalt, a controversial material that still sees child labor in the Congo region. She asks Tesla to be open for a third-party report that would show how the company handles the human rights challenges for its business.
14:53 PT – Viecha explains that the next “No” recommendation from Tesla involves a call for the board for strategic oversight of the company. A representative of the shareholder explains that investors are focused on the role of effective human capital in a company’s operations. He argues that Ford and GM have both made efforts to improve their human capital management. He also reiterates the $137 million jury order over alleged racism incidents at the Fremont factory.
14:48 PT – Viecha explains that the next “No” recommendation from Tesla involves employee arbitration. The shareholder’s representative notes that this resolution requests Tesla’s leadership to be more transparent. She cites the $137 million jury order that Tesla was faced with earlier this week as an example of this. “A diverse workforce is shown to create a more innovative environment,” she said.
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14:44 PT – Viecha explains that the next “No” recommendation from Tesla involves diversity and inclusivity. The shareholder cites Tesla’s diversity report. She notes that they support the company’s efforts. She calls for more diversity in the workforce, as research shows that a more diverse workforce is more productive. The shareholder also noted that the company’s leadership is still mostly male and white.
14:41 PT – Viecha explains that Tesla is recommending that Tesla vote “No” to the notion of keeping board members for just one year. The shareholder who proposed the motion is explaining his stance virtually, but the connection is not very good. Ah, the pandemic times.
14:38 PT – Martin Viecha opens the meeting. Voting formally begins.
14:37 PT – Denholm thanks her fellow board members, particularly Antonio Gracias, who is retiring from the board. “Antonia, we appreciate everything you’ve done for the company. We will miss you,” Denholm said. She also thanks TSLA shareholders. “Our shareholder base is the most engaged base we have ever seen,” the Chair added. She hands over the floor back to Viecha.
14:35 PT – Denholm adds that while Tesla’s performance today has passed expectations, Tesla is just starting. She reiterates the company’s 20-million-vehicle target for the end of the decade. “The automotive and energy sector have to become full electric. There’s no question about it… We need continue to grow exponentially to have true impact for our planet and shareholders,” she said, adding that Tesla’s employee headcount is now approaching 100,000 people.
14:33 PT – Denholm states that’s he would lie to recap the last 12 month. Over 800k vehicles produced, the 4680 cell production project. “Over the last 12 months, Tesla has continued to help shift the public reception of electric vehicles,” she said. Totally true.
14:31 PT – And we’re starting on time! Martin Viecha is opening the program. Giga Texas is looking pretty darn good. Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm takes the stage.
14:30 PT – Good day, everyone! Any bets if we’re starting on time today or if we’re on Elon Time? We did just get a notification that we’d start in 3 minutes or so. Let’s get ready.
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Elon Musk
SpaceX’s next trillion dollar bet has nothing to do with rockets, Musk tells staff
Elon Musk told SpaceX staff AI revenue will soon dwarf rockets and Starlink combined entirely.
Elon Musk told SpaceX employees this week that artificial intelligence, not rockets, will soon carry the company’s revenue. In a roughly 29 minute internal address posted on SpaceX’s X account on Tuesday, Musk said AI revenue will pass every other line of business at SpaceX “probably in September” and pull further ahead by the fourth quarter.
The numbers he gave are specific. SpaceX currently runs 1.4 gigawatts of AI compute capacity. Musk wants that at 10 gigawatts by the end of 2027, a jump he tied directly to revenue: “if we bring 10GW of AI online by the end of next year, it will be $300 billion to $500 billion a year in revenue.” He called those “big numbers,” which undersells a projection larger than what most countries produce in a year.
We made rockets reusable and are rebuilding the internet in space. The next challenge: making life multiplanetary and understanding the true nature of the universe
Watch @ElonMusk deliver a company update to @SpaceX employees pic.twitter.com/5c8rxoCQfu
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 11, 2026
Musk went further on where AI fits into SpaceX’s future. “Probably in four or five years, AI will be 99% of the value of SpaceX,” he told staff, adding that digital intelligence would eventually run “a trillion times” ahead of biological intelligence as computing scales. He tied that growth to the company’s founding mission, telling employees “we must win on AI, because the future is overwhelmingly AI and robots,” with the payoff meant to help fund Starship and a Mars program that increasingly runs through Terafab, the joint Tesla, SpaceX and xAI chip plant.
Elon Musk launches TERAFAB: The $25B Tesla-SpaceXAI chip factory that will rewire the AI industry
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None of this is entirely new territory. SpaceX told investors much the same story during its first earnings call as a public company on August 4, where Musk moved the company’s $1 trillion revenue target up a year to 2030 and said Starlink could someday carry a majority of the world’s internet. What the all hands video adds is a hard deadline and a specific power figure Musk had not given publicly before, along with a franker pitch to his own workforce that AI, not launch cadence, is now the thing SpaceX is betting its future on.
The AI revenue itself is not coming from SpaceX training its own models. It is largely Starlink acting as the network layer for xAI’s workloads, plus SpaceX renting out compute capacity directly, the same approach behind the roughly $16 billion the company spent on AI infrastructure in a single quarter.
Musk closed the video with a pitch aimed at recruiting and retention rather than investors, telling employees that anyone who helps SpaceX win the AI race will eventually get the chance to go to the moon or Mars themselves. Whether SpaceX can turn 1.4 gigawatts into 10 in seventeen months is the more immediate question, and one that will show up in quarterly numbers well before anyone leaves Earth.
In a new note to investors on Tuesday, Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco said that Tesla has one big financial question to answer for investors regarding its Robotaxi rollout, Full Self-Driving software, and Optimus.
Percoco said in the note that, for the most part, investors are still very positive about the direction the company is headed. However, there are some things the firm would like to see, and they have to do with financials.
Tesla (TSLA) Q2 2026 earnings results: miss on EPS, beat on revenue
Tesla bulls are more than convinced that the company’s Full Self-Driving software is proof it can develop physical AI. Financially, however, there are still some questions, especially on elevated spending, which CEO Elon Musk said would occur as the company works to roll out Robotaxi faster and continue developing its Optimus robot.
The latter two are where Tesla will have to prove progress to investors, as Percoco writes that both projects “will require clearer evidence that Robotaxi is scaling and more tangible Optimus proof points to support the ROI on elevated capex.”
Percoco said the second quarter earnings call did not change his long-term thesis of where Tesla is positioned in the AI race, which is out in front. However, there are concerns that weaker gross margins and higher R&D spend will stress financials, and that has “sharpened our (and investors’) focus on measurable progress across Robotaxi and Optimus.”
Additionally, Robotaxi still needs to be proven with more operation in existing cities while maintaining safety but improving how many rides it gives in any given time, he said. For Optimus, Percoco wrote that he is “still looking for evidence beyond commentary around SOP.”
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Morgan Stanley put Percoco in charge of covering Tesla after long-time analyst Adam Jonas transitioned to the automotive side.
Currently, Morgan Stanley has a $415 price target on Tesla and a ‘Hold’ rating on the stock. It is trading at around $330 at the time of publication, which was 2:30 P.M. on the East Coast.
SpaceX’s massive investment in AI will make it a big winner, Argus Research said after the company’s successful earnings call last week.
The firm also upgraded shares to a Buy from Hold and set a $160 price target.
SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) is currently recovering from its heavy AI infrastructure investments, as it spent nearly $16 billion in Q2 alone. The company did this primarily by monetizing high-demand GPU compute capacity at a much faster pace than traditional data center economics would suggest.
Company CFO Bret Johnsen said that SpaceX would be able to pay back anything on new deployments within a year.
There are plenty of ways the company can do this:
Leasing excess compute capacity through contracts
SpaceX has already built Colossus and Colossus II, largely for its own model training. However, much of that capacity is already rented out to third parties. It already has major deals with Anthropic, Google, and Reflection AI. These partnerships are adding billions per month to SpaceX’s spreadsheet.
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High utilization driven by industry-wide scarcity
The demand for advanced AI training and inference capacity continues to exceed what is available for use. SpaceX can fill new racks quickly after they come online, so the capital deployed converts into revenue with minimal idle time.
Additionally, management and outside observers have described the new compute capital as behaving more like a cost-of-goods-sold than traditional multi-year capex, especially because of this rapid monetization pattern.
Capacity has already scaled from ~0.4 GW a year to 1.4 GW annually by the end of Q2. There are targets of more than 2 GW by year-end.
High incremental margins on the rental business once capacity is online
GPU cloud providers often operate at strong gross margins. SpaceX can monetize capacity that was already partially built or can be added efficiently. This means that incremental EBITDA margins on the rental revenue are usually high. This accelerates cash recovery relative to the gross capital outlay.
Parallel monetization of its own AI software and applications
Beyond pure infrastructure rental, SpaceX also generates revenue from Grok through subscriptions and usage, from X through ads, data, and other related services, enterprise APIs, and the planned integration of the Cursor coding tools acquisition.
These application layers ride on the same compute infrastructure and provide additional high-margin streams that could offset build-out costs. AI-segment revenue overall rose sharply to about $2.6 billion in Q2, according to Motley Fool. This was driven primarily by the infrastructure contracts, but the software side is also partially responsible.
Efficient, large-scale deployment and vertical integration advantages
SpaceX has emphasized the rapid construction of power and cooling infrastructure and favorable cost-per-megawatt economics relative to industry benchmarks in some disclosures.
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Combined with its ability to scale capacity aggressively and the fact that many contracts start generating revenue within months of capacity coming online, the effective payback compresses dramatically compared with more conventional multi-year data-center projects.
SpaceX’s dominant near-term recovery path will turn the AI clusters into a hyperscale-style compute rental business for other leading AI companies while still using a portion for internal models.
Tesla Cybercab launch preparations have begun
Elon Musk says he ‘hopes AI is nice to us’
