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Tesla analysts still confident in TSLA despite Giga Shanghai shutdown and supply chain challenges

(Credit: Wu Wa)

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Tesla analysts from Roth Capital Partners and Deutsche Bank are confident in TSLA stock and the company’s fundamentals. 

Tesla delivered a whopping 310,048 vehicles in Q1 2022, setting another record for deliveries in a quarter. The company produced 305,000 cars in the first quarter. 

Tesla delivered 184,800 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Q1 2021. So Tesla deliveries have increased by about 60% compared to Q1 2021 — although it may not be a fair comparison since Model S and Model X production was paused at the time.

In Q4 2021, Tesla delivered 308,600 vehicles. Wall Street analysts projected that Tesla would deliver slightly more than 310,000 vehicles. Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Rosner argued that the company still performed well considering its challenges last quarter. 

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“So as you mentioned, the 310,000 units was essentially in line with Street expectations, we were slightly higher than that, but they achieved that despite being shut for the last week, which is not just a full week,” Rosner told Yahoo! Finance.

“So the last week of the quarter where they usually cram all these local deliveries, you know, to try to make numbers. And so this has been a critical week. They were shut down. It really shows that they were tracking ahead of this before that, which had been essentially our expectation. More broadly, we’ve seen Tesla execute incredibly well in a challenging supply chain environment as well,” he added.

Rosner also pointed out that Tesla’s year-over-year growth was notable, given that the global auto industry is down on a year-over-year basis. He stated that Tesla’s resilience is a testament to the company’s ability to secure its supply chain and vertically integrate when needed. 

Roth Capital Partners’ Managing Director and Senior Research Analyst, Craig Irwin, also believes Tesla has a solid foundation for growth in the industry. 

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“So short term, six days where Shanghai shut down does have an impact. We still grew deliveries sequentially by a scratch, a tad,” Irwin said. “You know, Austin’s ramping, Berlin’s ramping. So if there is a larger headwind in China, there may be some complications there. But Tesla– I wouldn’t be trading Tesla for a miss here. I think they’re actually pretty well teed up for the next series of quarters.”

Irwin predicted that Tesla would see 15% to 20% sequential growth in deliveries as Giga Texas and Giga Berlin continue to ramp production and contribute to the company as a whole. 

He was excited to see how Tesla’s Austin Gigafactory would contribute to the company. Tesla Giga Texas will hold its Cyber Rodeo grand opening on April 7. It will mark the start of operations at Tesla’s new headquarters in Austin. 

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, reach out to me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Elon Musk

NASA updated Artemis III and SpaceX’s role just got more complicated

SpaceX’s Starship is the key to NASA’s Moon plan and the timeline is already slipping.

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SpaceX has been at the center of NASA’s Moon ambitions for five years, and the updated Artemis III plan recently released by NASA makes that relationship more visible than ever. In April 2021, NASA awarded SpaceX a $2.89 billion contract to develop the Starship Human Landing System, selecting it as the sole provider to land astronauts on the Moon under Artemis III. Blue Origin filed legal protests, lost, and eventually received its own contract, but SpaceX was always the program’s primary lander contractor.

The original plan called for Starship to land two astronauts on the lunar south pole. That mission slipped as Starship development ran behind schedule, and in February 2026, NASA officially revised the Artemis III architecture entirely. The mission will now remain in low Earth orbit and serve as a crewed rendezvous and docking test between the Orion spacecraft and both the SpaceX Starship HLS pathfinder and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 pathfinder, with the actual Moon landing pushed to Artemis IV in 2028.

What makes SpaceX’s position particularly significant is the direct line between this week’s Starship V3 launch and the Artemis timeline. The Starship HLS is essentially a modified version of the V3 upper stage, meaning SpaceX cannot realistically prepare a lander for a 2027 docking test until it has demonstrated that the base vehicle flies reliably at scale. Flight 12, targeting this week, is the first data point in that sequence.

SpaceX Board has set a Mars bonus for Elon Musk

NASA has spent nearly $7 billion on Human Landing System development since awarding contracts to SpaceX and Blue Origin in 2021 and 2023, and NASA administrator Jared Isaacman has indicated a desire to drive down costs going forward. As Teslarati reported, before Starship HLS can put anyone on the Moon it has to solve a problem no rocket has demonstrated at scale, which is refueling in orbit, requiring approximately ten tanker launches worth of propellant loaded into a depot before the lander has enough fuel to reach the lunar surface.

The Artemis III mission described by NASA is essentially a stress test for every system that needs to work before any of that happens.

SpaceX has gone from a launch contractor to the single most critical hardware provider in America’s return-to-the-Moon program. With an IPO targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation and Elon Musk’s compensation tied directly to Mars colonization, the pressure on every Starship milestone between now and 2028 has never been higher.

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Tesla is making sweeping improvements to Robotaxi

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is continuing to refine and improve its Robotaxi program from A to Z, and it is now going to make some sweeping changes to the smartphone app portion of the suite.

The company is aiming to make some sweeping changes with the release of Robotaxi app version 26.4.5, which was recently decompiled by Tesla App Updates on X. The update reveals significant new code, focused on remote operations, safety protocols, and seamless autonomous ride-hailing.

These improvements evidently signal Tesla’s preparations for scaling unsupervised Cybercab deployments, particularly the steering wheel-less variants spotted in production. The enhancements emphasize providing a reliable experience that gives passengers support when needed, along with operational efficiency.

Remote Operator Voice Calls

One standout addition is support for remote operator voice calls. The app now includes a dedicated native voice-communication system linking passengers directly to Tesla teleoperators via the vehicle’s cabin microphone and speakers.

This feature allows real-time assistance during rides, addressing issues like navigation questions or comfort adjustments without disrupting the autonomous journey. It builds on existing support protocols, making human intervention more accessible and intuitive.

Proactive Remote Assistance

The update introduces proactive remote assistance capabilities. Rather than waiting for passenger-initiated requests, the system can anticipate and offer help based on monitored conditions.

This might include something like suggesting route changes, climate adjustments, or addressing potential delays. By integrating AI-driven monitoring with human oversight, Tesla aims to deliver a smoother, more attentive experience that exceeds traditional ride-sharing services.

Manual Override and Remote Start for Steering Wheel-less Cybercabs

A key highlight for the wheel-less Cybercab fleet is manual override plus remote start functionality. Fleet operators and technicians can now temporarily take control or remotely start vehicles lacking steering wheels. This is crucial for lower-speed maneuvers, such as getting vehicles from tight parking situations or even performing maintenance.

Controls are strictly limited for safety–typically to speeds under 2 MPH–ensuring these interventions remain emergency measures only.

Tesla is adding a secure “Enable Manual Drive” mode that will allow those fleet operators or others to take control temporarily.

Additionally, a Remote Start feature, which authorizes an empty vehicle to begin a driverless ride alone.

Ride-Hailing and Dispatch Features

Ride dispatch has been enhanced with soft-matching and multi-stop support. The app can intelligently pair riders with available Cybercabs while accommodating multiple destinations in a single trip.

This optimizes fleet utilization, reduces wait times, and improves efficiency for shared rides. Soft-matching likely considers factors like proximity, rider preferences, and vehicle availability for better user satisfaction.

Rider-Cabin Sync, Real-Time Routing

New synchronization tools allow the rider’s app to mirror and control cabin settings like seating, climate, and entertainment directly from their phone. Real-time routing updates adapt dynamically to traffic or road conditions, while dynamic safety monitoring continuously assesses the environment.

The app can now push updates directly to the main screen, enabling Center Display Control. Additionally, there is a dedicated navigation protocol sharing the exact coordinates of road closures and construction, which could prevent the car from getting stuck and needing manual override.

These features create a cohesive, responsive experience where the vehicle and app work in harmony.

Kill Switch

A high-security command lets Tesla completely freeze a vehicle’s ability to drive. This would take the vehicle out of the Robotaxi fleet for any reason Tesla sees fit, and would not allow it to be put into gear even with the correct equipment, like valid keys.

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Elon Musk

SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon just joined forces for one reason: Starlink is winning.

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Starlink D2D direct to device vs Verizon, AT&T (Concept render by Grok)

America’s three largest wireless carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, announced on On May 14, 2026 that they had agreed in principle to form a joint venture aimed at pooling their spectrum resources to expand satellite-based direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity across the United States in what can be seen as a direct response to SpaceX’s Starlink initiative. D2D, in plain terms, is technology that lets a standard smartphone connect directly to a satellite in orbit, the same way it connects to a cell tower, with no extra hardware required.

The alliance is widely seen as a means to slow Starlink’s rapid expansion in the satellite internet and mobile markets. SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile service launched commercially in July 2025 through a partnership with T-Mobile, starting with messaging before expanding to broadband data. SpaceX secured access to valuable wireless spectrum through its $17 billion deal with EchoStar, paving the way for significantly faster satellite-to-phone speeds.

The FCC just said ‘No’ to SpaceX for now

SpaceX was not shy about its reaction. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell responded on X: “Weeeelllll, I guess Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David.” SpaceX’s VP of Satellite Policy David Goldman went further, flagging potential antitrust concerns and asking whether the DOJ would even allow three dominant competitors to coordinate in a market where a new rival is actively entering.


Financial analysts at LightShed Partners were blunt, saying the announcement showed the three carriers are “nervous,” and pointed to the timing: “You announce an agreement in principle when the point is the announcement, not the deal. The timing, weeks ahead of the SpaceX roadshow, was the point.”

As Teslarati reported, SpaceX’s next generation Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current system, with custom silicon and phased array antennas enabling around 20 times the throughput of the first generation. The carriers’ JV, which has no definitive agreement, no financial structure, and no deployment timeline yet, will need to move quickly to matter.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is targeting a Nasdaq listing as early as June 12, aiming for what would be the largest IPO in history. With Starlink now serving over 9 million subscribers across 155 countries, holding 59 carrier partnerships globally, and now powering Air Force One, the carriers’ joint venture announcement landed at exactly the wrong time to look like anything other than a defensive move.

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