Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) second-quarter earnings call comes on the heels of an impressive quarter that saw the electric car maker posting $6.036 billion in revenue and a $451 million non-GAAP net income, beating Wall Street’s estimates.
As revealed in the company’s Q2 2020 Update Letter, Tesla currently sits on $8.6 billion in cash. The Tesla Model Y ramp is also proving faster than the Model 3 ramp, which should allow the company to increase its output at the Fremont factory in the coming quarters. Tesla Energy had some milestones as well, with the Megapack being profitable and Solar Roof installations tripling in Q2 compared to Q1.
For today’s earnings call, Tesla executives are expected to address questions surrounding the company’s plans for the coming quarters, particularly its maintained guidance of 500,000 vehicle deliveries for the year. Updates on future projects such as the Cybertruck, Semi, and Roadster may also be mentioned, as well as more details on upcoming Gigafactories, particularly in the United States.
The following are live updates from Tesla’s Q2 2020 earnings call. I will be updating this article in real-time, so please keep refreshing the page to view the latest updates on this story. The first entry starts at the bottom of the page.
15:35 PT: And that wraps up Tesla’s second quarter earnings call! The questions this time around were pretty interesting, though it was a bit tiring to hear inquiries about demand once more. That said, it was great hearing Tesla executives’ thoughts on its upcoming products, as well as facilities that are yet to be built. Overall, an enjoyable call.
Thanks for staying with us today for this live blog. Till the next time!
15:33 PT: Jeffries takes the last question. The inquiry focused on battery capacity and Giga Berlin, especially if Tesla would need to get cells from other countries for its German plant. Elon responded by stating that he can’t really talk about the plans for Giga Berlin, but there will be local production of cells at the upcoming facility. Elon jokes about workers’ mobility in Europe, stating that he suggests that workers’ time in the region are better used.
15:30 PT: An inquiry from Emmanuel Rosner from Deutsche Bank about the near term demand for Tesla’s vehicles has been asked. Elon Musk noted that demand is not a problem. “The things that are troubling us right now is not demand,” Musk said.
A follow up question about Tesla’s 500k target for 2020 was expressed. Musk stated that it is hard to utilize a global supply chain, particularly during this year’s challenging times. He expressed his respect for companies and entities working the supply chain as well.
15:26 PT: Bernstein takes the floor, inquiring about operating margins and how it could be over time, as well as EV credits and how it could affect them. CFO Kirkhorn emphasizes that Tesla’s business is not managed with regulatory credits in focus. Elon Musk notes that Tesla buyers in the US don’t even get credits anymore, but despite this, sales have been doing well. Kirkhorn added that there is continued decline in the production costs of cars, especially in mature products like Model S, Model X, and Model 3. FSD and other software products, as well as future services like the Tesla Network, could also play a key role in operating margins. Kirkhorn admits that Tesla is in a journey here, so while the company benefits from regulatory credits now, this will not be the case in the long term.
Elon wants Tesla’s cars to be more affordable. He admits that it’s the pain point that bothers him the most for now. That said, Tesla has made some headway in this sense. After all, the company’s vehicles are being reduced in price over time, and improvements in battery tech will only accelerate this.
15:21 PT: Wall Street’s questions begin. First up is Dan Levy of Credit Suisse with a question about gross margins and Tesla’s differing approach in its various production facilities. Zach Kirkhorn responds, stating that the Model Y margins are improving. He did state that Model Y is still more expensive to produce than the Model 3. Elon added that Giga Shanghai is getting more and more localized, which makes a massive difference to the overall cost of vehicles that are made there. This could be seen in the price adjustments of the Model 3 in the country. Automotive President Guillen added that lots of suppliers are enthusiastic about supporting Tesla in China. The same will likely be true for Berlin as well.
15:15 PT: Next up is the Tesla Insurance ramp, as well as if the company will require Tesla Insurance for the company’s upcoming ride hailing network. Zach Kirkhorn notes that the current version of Tesla Insurance is only Version 1, or 0.9 as Elon noted. The CFO reiterates that Tesla Insurance has a data advantage, which allows the company to provide a viable service for Tesla customers. Tesla hopes to ramp Tesla Insurance to other states by the end of the year. “At the heart of every competitive insurance is the accuracy of your information,” Musk said.
15:10 PT: Next up is a question about the Tesla Semi’s volume production. What does “volume production” mean? The first few units of the Tesla Semi will be used by Tesla to carry freight between Fremont and Nevada. There’s a lot of technology that will be going into the Semi, as suggested by Automotive President Jerome Guillen. He appears to be extremely excited for the Semi’s ramp, which is finally happening.
When asked about the discontinued Standard Range Model Y, Elon jokingly asked nickel companies to mine more as long as it’s efficient and environmentally friendly way. As noted by Musk, cell shortage is still the limiting factor for Tesla. It appears that the more batteries Tesla has access to, the more vehicles and types of vehicles it could produce.
15:05 PT: Tesla retail shareholder questions begin. First off is Tesla Energy and how it is largely ignored by Wall Street. How disruptive is Autobidder? Elon Musk noted that collectively the energy sector is bigger than automotive, so Tesla Energy would likely be just as big as its EV business. Ron Baron has mentioned this before when he stated that Tesla Energy has the potential to become a $500 billion business on its own.
Elon noted that Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy. That push requires three parts: EVs, solar, and batteries. To accomplish the company’s primary goal, Tesla would have to ramp its energy business.
The Megapack is seeing a lot of demand. “Autobidder is Autopilot for grid type batteries,” as it ensures that the battery does everything it can as efficiently as it can. Creating such a system is very representative of Tesla since the company is known for tapping into software to complete targets.
15:00 PT: Responding to an inquiry about Autopilot, Elon explained that the driver assist system right now is pretty much operating in 2.5D. Operating in 4D is something completely different, and it will be game-changing. “The car will seem to have a giant improvement. It will probably roll out later this year. It will be able to do traffic lights, stops, turns, everything, pretty much. And then it will be a long march of (updates). It will definitely be better than human,” Musk said.
An inquiry about the Alien Dreadnought. Elon states that there’s about 10,000 more engineering required for the factory than the product itself. “We’re certainly making progress,” Elon said, stating that the Dreadnought is starting to approach Version 1, referring to Gigafactory Nevada. Perhaps Gigafactory Shanghai, Gigafactory Berlin, and the Austin Gigafactory will be Version 2. Interestingly, Elon also noted that the Model Y will look the same in Gigafactory Berlin, but the technology will be different.
Elon and other Tesla executives highlighted that the company loves manufacturing. The Alien Dreadnought is not all about replacing humans at all. The CEO seemingly plugs the maker movement once more, encouraging anyone interested to go into manufacturing. He is quite right about this. As Musk noted in the past, it’s difficult to have things when no one makes them.
14:50 PT: Questions from institutional investors begin. First up is about cheaper or region specific vehicles, or a product roadmap. Elon stated that while Tesla can’t reveal its product roadmap, it is reasonable to assume that Tesla would make a compact vehicle in the future. That said, he stated that there is still a long way to go with the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck.
Second question is about FSD and software offerings. Elon notes that by far, FSD today is the most important thing. He expects the upgrade to FSD the biggest asset value rise in automotive history. The CEO does have a point, considering that full self driving may very well change the transportation world. Emphasizing this point, Elon states that everything else seems small in comparison. After FSD, it’s probably going to be all about entertainment.
Perhaps an app store is indeed in the pipeline sometime in the future.
14:45 PT: Zach Kirkhorn takes the floor and thanks Tesla employees. He highlights Tesla’s four quarters of profitability, stating that the company optimized hard by initiating cost savings initiatives. This allowed the company to balance out the hits the company received due to the pandemic and Fremont’s shutdown. The CFO stated that in Q2, Tesla opted to pass on some of these savings to customers, referring to the cost reductions of the company’s vehicles.
Kirkhorn was also very optimistic about Tesla Energy, highlighting that the Megapack is now profitable. Solar and Solar Roof are also coming along nicely.
14:40 PT: The Tesla CEO also highlighted the Model S’ 400-mile EPA range, which is best in class. “I personally tested the latest (version of FSD) and I think it’s better profoundly than people realize. It’s almost getting to the point where I can go from my house to work without (requiring) interventions. This is why I’m confident about reaching feature complete FSD by the end of the year. (It’s because) I’m driving it,” he noted.
Also, Battery Day hype. “Thanks again for your support of our long term mission,” Elon said, closing his opening remarks. “I’ve never been more optimistic about the future of Tesla,” he added.
14:35 PT: Elon Musk thanks the Tesla team for their efforts in Q2. He sounds quite optimistic as he highlights how Tesla was able to grow at a time like this, when legacy auto is DOWN a lot. Elon also announced that its next Gigafactory will be in Texas. Looks like Austin won this round. It’s 5 minutes from the airport and it’s about 2,000 acres. “It will be stunning. It’s right by the Colorado River. It will have a boardwalk… It will be an ecological paradise. It will be open to the public as well,” Musk noted.
The Austin Gigafactory will produce the Cybertruck, the Model Y, and the Semi. Fremont will probably produce the next-generation Roadster. Elon also recognized Tulsa for a battle well fought. “‘I’d like to give a shoutout to Tulsa. I was super impressed… We will for sure consider Tulsa for future expansion of Tesla down the road,” the CEO noted.
14:32 PT: Tesla Investor Relations’ Martin Viecha takes the floor. Elon and Zach Kirkhorn, as well as other executives are present. Elon’s operating remarks begin.
14:31 PT: And it’s time for the earnings call. Let’s go!
14:29 PT: Quick factoid: Tesla had a bear case of $10 per share courtesy of Morgan Stanley during the height of 2019’s headwinds. I guess that estimate was a bit off.
14:25 PT: I have to admit, I’m pretty excited for this one. Anyone who’s been following Tesla over the past year would remember how it was in Q2 2019. Last year, it felt like the sharks were smelling blood in the water. TSLAQ members were sure Tesla was going down, and it wasn’t until Q3 when things started settling down. Oh, what a difference a year makes.
14:20 PT: It is time once more for Tesla’s quarterly earnings report! This quarter was pretty crazy, with Fremont being closed for several weeks and a lot of drama resulting from its reopening. Despite all these headwinds, Tesla posted a profit for Q2. That’s pretty insane, especially since the company was able to accomplish this during a literal pandemic. The Q2 2020 Update Letter is full of interesting details. Let’s brace for impact, everyone.
Investor's Corner
Tesla just did something in South Korea that no foreign carmaker has ever done
Tesla’s Model Y just became South Korea’s best-selling car, beating every domestic model in May.
Tesla did something last month that no foreign car has ever done in South Korea by outselling every vehicle in the country, domestic or imported, finishing the month with Model Y as the single best-selling car across the entire Korean market. According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association released on June 4, the Model Y recorded 8,762 units sold in May, pushing the Kia Sorento into second place at 7,836 units and the Hyundai Grandeur into third at 5,183 units. It is the first time an imported vehicle has outsold every domestic model on a single-month basis.
Tesla imported 10,866 cars into South Korea in May, making it the top import brand for the fourth consecutive month. BMW followed at 6,555 units, less than two-thirds of Tesla’s total, while BYD registered just 1,032 units. The combined domestic sales of GM Korea, Renault Korea, and KG Mobility last month totaled just 7,019 units, meaning a single Tesla model outsold three Korean automakers combined.
Tesla FSD earns high praise in South Korea’s real-world autonomous driving test
South Korea has historically been one of the hardest markets for foreign automakers to crack. Hyundai and Kia together control close to 70% of the overall market and carry deep consumer loyalty built over decades. Tesla’s path into this market was an uphill battle due to high import duties, limited service infrastructure, and early skepticism about charging networks. In 2024, the Model Y was the best-selling imported car in South Korea with 18,717 units for the full year. By 2025, after the Juniper refresh, it cleared 50,000 units and took the top spot among all EVs.
Year to date, Tesla has a 250.8% increase in the country over the same period last year, and now holds a 30.8% share of the entire imported car segment for 2026. EVs as a category represented 48.6% of all imported passenger car registrations in May. As Teslarati has reported, the Juniper refresh brought meaningful improvements to range, interior quality, and ride refinement that addressed the most common criticisms of earlier Model Y versions. Those upgrades appear to be resonating in markets like South Korea where buyers compare Tesla directly against high end domestic competitors.
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) stands to reap one of the most extraordinary returns in pension fund history thanks to a bold 2019 investment in SpaceX.
According to a recent report from The Globe and Mail, the Toronto-based fund invested roughly $300 million CAD (~$220 million USD at the time) in Elon Musk’s space company as its inaugural deal through the Teachers’ Innovation Platform.
At SpaceX’s anticipated $1.75 trillion IPO valuation, set for a mid-June debut on Nasdaq under ticker $SPCX, that stake could now be worth up to $11.6 billion USD. This would represent a roughly 50x return and easily become OTPP’s most successful single investment ever.
The fund manages $279 billion in assets for approximately 346,000 working and retired teachers in Ontario, potentially delivering an average boost of around $33,500 per member if fully realized.
SpaceX has filed its S-1 and plans to price shares at $135 each, aiming to raise a record $75 billion in what would be the largest IPO in history, surpassing Saudi Aramco. The company reported $18.67 billion in revenue for 2025, driven primarily by Starlink satellite internet growth and NASA contracts, though it continues to post significant losses tied to ambitious R&D in Starship and AI initiatives.
Important pieces moving forward include:
- Starlink Expansion: The satellite broadband service is scaling rapidly, targeting global connectivity, especially in underserved rural and remote areas. This segment offers massive recurring revenue potential as numbers climb.
- Starship and Reusability Leadership: SpaceX’s fully reusable Starship aims to slash launch costs dramatically, enabling frequent missions, Mars ambitions, and lucrative government/defense contracts. Success here could unlock exponential growth.
- AI and Diversification: Recent moves, including ties to xAI, position SpaceX in high-growth AI infrastructure, broadening beyond traditional aerospace.
- Validation Scrutiny: While the $1.75 trillion target excites investors, analysts like Morningstar value the company closer to $780 billion, citing high multiples (around 90x trailing revenue) and execution risks. A 180-day lockup period will prevent early investors like OTPP from selling immediately post-IPO.
The irony has not been lost on observers. Ontario’s government previously canceled a Starlink rural internet contract amid political tensions involving Musk, yet the pension fund’s savvy investment, made when SpaceX was valued around $33-36 billion, and Starlink was nascent, delivers outsized gains independent of politics.
For OTPP, this windfall strengthens its already solid 111 percent funding ratio and underscores the value of patient, innovation-focused capital allocation.
For SpaceX, the IPO marks a new chapter: greater transparency, access to public markets for talent retention and growth capital, and heightened pressure to deliver on its multi-planetary vision.
All eyes are fixed on whether SpaceX can justify its lofty valuation through sustained execution. For Ontario teachers, the returns are already stellar, but SpaceX, like other Musk companies in the past, has plenty of things to prove. Perhaps the most ideal person for the job is at the helm, hoping to bring the company to a massive valuation.
Tesla has its answer to grow its automotive sales over the next few years, TD Cowen analyst Itay Michaeli says, but it just has to bring it to the U.S.
On Thursday, Michaeli reiterated his $490 price target and the ‘Buy’ rating he already held on Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA). However, its automotive division has struggled to show sequential growth over the past few years, mostly due to its focus on AI and Full Self-Driving. Tesla already axed two of its lower-volume vehicles with the Model S and Model X earlier this year.
However, Tesla does not need to engineer an entire new vehicle to trigger an upward tick in sales; it just has to bring it from China to the U.S., Michaeli said.
He is talking about the Model Y L, a slightly larger version of the all-electric crossover that is already available in China. U.S. customers have been pleading with CEO Elon Musk to bring it to the country since its launch in Asia last year, but he’s not convinced of it because of the advent of self-driving and its importance in this particular market.
The problem is that Tesla owners have been requesting something larger that could fit a typical American family. The Model Y L is slightly larger than the standard Model Y, but some are concerned that it could still be too small to fit what most people might need.
Instead, they have asked for a full-size SUV from Tesla.
Tesla gives big hint that it will build Cyber SUV, smaller Cybertruck
Nevertheless, the Model Y L still presents a great opportunity for Tesla in the U.S., and Michaeli says that there is an additional sales opportunity of about 100,000 units, with demand potential falling somewhere between 60,000 and 135,000 units.
TD Cowen’s note to investors also analyzed that Tesla’s growth could come from a stock perspective as well, positively impacting the stock price, as it has been widely reliant on vehicle sales, even though Tesla has truly phased itself away from that being an important metric.
Tesla stands to gain greatly from the introduction of the Model Y L in the U.S., but only if Elon Musk sees it as a viable fit for the market. Families may need to see Tesla bring something larger to the U.S., or they might be forced to buy from another automaker that offers something that fits is needs for more interior space to haul around the kids.
Tesla tipped its hand at where Robotaxi is heading next
Tesla just did something in South Korea that no foreign carmaker has ever done
