Tesla has become the hottest car maker in America and they are doing it by focusing on data, which is something that legacy automakers are not really doing very well today. While Detroit continues to push traditional ad campaigns that focus on speed, performance, and safety, Tesla has taken a drastically different approach — and it is evidently paying off.
In the past decade, a new trend has arisen in the American automotive market. According to Inc.com, millennials perceive traditional cars as expensive and pollution-pumping modes of transportation. Amidst the rise of ride-hailing services, the next-generation of car buyers do not seem very eager to get behind the wheel of a personal vehicle, or at least one that is conventional, and acquired through a conventional dealership.
The main issue is that cars are simply not compelling or “fun” to consumers anymore. They are expensive and boring, and unfortunately, none of the traditional car manufacturers have been able to solve the riddle. Then there is Tesla. In a 60 Minutes segment, Scott Pelley said that Tesla CEO Elon Musk was revolutionizing vehicles, in the same way Steve Jobs changed the mobile industry with the iPhone.
Part of the reason behind Tesla’s success so far is the company’s focus on developing vehicles that are built from the ground up with tech. Inasmuch as traditional cars are built on horsepower, Teslas are built on data. Data that’s gathered from every vehicle in Tesla’s fleet, and data that has the potential to improve the company’s cars in terms of performance, safety, and features. Teslas have had over a decade to master this, and the company has gotten very good at its tech-centered approach.
Tesla currently utilizes data from its nearly 900,000 vehicles currently on the road to give engineers and analysts in Silicon Valley an idea of what they need to improve upon. For example, when Tesla rolled out the highly anticipated release of Smart Summon, the company utilized information from over one million uses of the software. Tesla uses the same strategy with its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving suite as well, which are stepping stones towards CEO Elon Musk’s attempts at reaching autonomy.
Meanwhile, legacy automakers are continuing to push SUVs and trucks using tried and tested strategies that are not as effective today as they were years ago. Veteran automakers such as Ford and GM have started adopting a tech-centered approach in their respective electric cars and autonomous programs, but their core remains traditional. To try and keep up with Elon Musk and the company he heads, some are even releasing “competitors” to Tesla’s Self-Driving capabilities, but they simply fall short because of a lack of data.
Take GM’s Super Cruise, for example, which is robust in its own right. While it is a capable driver-assist system that can possibly rival Navigate on Autopilot, the system can only be used in a fraction of areas that Tesla’s system can be engaged in. A lot of this gap can be attributed to the mountains upon mountains of real-world driving data that Tesla’s has, and legacy automakers don’t.
And the gap is only widening, as suggested by Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson in a recent statement. Ultimately, it appears that Tesla is pulling away from its competitors in the car industry. While other companies are struggling to keep up with the transition to electric transportation, Tesla is compiling millions of pieces of data in its efforts to improve.
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Another Tesla Model 3 variant sold out for January 2026 in China
A look at Tesla China’s order page shows that new Model 3 LR RWD orders now have an estimated delivery date of February 2026.
Another Tesla Model 3 variant in China appears to have sold out for January 2026, with the vehicle now showing an estimated delivery date of February 2026 for new orders. This bodes well for the all-electric sedan, which has maintained notable sales despite more affordable rivals like the Xiaomi SU7 and its crossover sibling, the Model Y.
Model 3 LR RWD joins February 2026 queue
A look at Tesla China’s order page for the all-electric sedan shows that new Model 3 Long Range Rear Wheel Drive orders now have an estimated delivery date of February 2026. Priced from RMB 259,500 ($36,810), the LR RWD sits as the second-lowest-priced trim in Tesla China’s four-variant Model 3 lineup. The move follows a similar delivery timeframe for the Model 3 Performance, which remains the most expensive option for the vehicle, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
The estimated delivery dates of the two remaining Model 3 variants remain unchanged for now. The base RWD version, starting at RMB 235,500, and the LR AWD variant, priced from RMB 285,500, both continue to list estimated delivery times of 4-6 weeks. Tesla China, for its part, has continued to list in-stock Model 3 vehicles and is actively encouraging buyers to select inventory units for delivery before the end of the year.
Model Y delays and policy shifts
Delivery timelines for the Model Y in China are also stretching into 2026. All customized Model Y variants now show February 2026 as their estimated delivery date, except for the entry-level version, which still lists January 2026. Tesla has been urging customers since November to prioritize purchasing inventory vehicles, a push aimed at maximizing year-end deliveries.
Timing matters for Chinese buyers due to upcoming changes in government incentives. China’s new energy vehicle purchase tax exemption will be scaled back in 2026, which means customers who take delivery next year could face higher tax costs compared to those who are able to receive vehicles before the end of the year.
As per data from the China Passenger Car Association, Tesla recorded retail sales of 73,145 vehicles in November, down 0.47% year over year. From January through November, Tesla’s retail sales in China totaled 531,855 units, a 7.37% year-over-year drop.
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Wedbush’s Dan Ives sees ‘monster year’ ahead for Tesla amid AI push
In a post on X, the analyst stated that the electric vehicle maker could hit a $3 trillion market cap by the end of 2026 in a bullish scenario.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives is doubling down on Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) long-term upside. In a post on X, the analyst stated that the electric vehicle maker could hit a $3 trillion market cap by the end of 2026 in a bullish scenario, thanks to the company’s efforts to develop and push its artificial intelligence programs.
An aggressive valuation upside
Ives, Wedbush’s global head of tech research, stated in his post that Tesla is entering a pivotal period as its autonomy and robotics ambitions move closer to commercialization. He expects Tesla’s market cap to reach $2 trillion in 2026, representing roughly 33% upside from current levels, with a bull case up to a $3 trillion market cap by year-end.
Overall, Ives noted that 2026 could become a “monster year” for TSLA. “Heading into 2026, this marks a monster year ahead for Tesla/Musk as the autonomous and robotics chapter begins. We believe Tesla hits a $2 trillion market cap in 2026 and in a bull case scenario $3 trillion by end of 2026… as the AI chapter takes hold at TSLA,” the analyst wrote.
Ives also reiterated his “Outperform” rating on TSLA stock, as well as his $600 per share price target.
Unsupervised Full-Self Driving tests
Fueling optimism is Tesla’s recent autonomous vehicle testing in Austin, Texas. Over the weekend, at least two Tesla Model Ys were spotted driving on public roads without a safety monitor or any other occupants. CEO Elon Musk later confirmed the footage of one of the vehicles on X, writing in a post that “testing is underway with no occupant in the car.”
It remains unclear whether the vehicle was supported by chase cars or remote monitoring, and Tesla has not disclosed how many vehicles are involved. That being said, Elon Musk stated a week ago that Tesla would be removing its Safety Monitors from its vehicles “within the next three weeks.” Based on the driverless vehicles’ sightings so far, it appears that Musk’s estimate may be right on the mark, at least for now.
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Production-ready Tesla Cybercab hits showroom floor in San Jose
Tesla has implemented subtle but significant updates to both the Cybercab’s exterior and interior elements.
Tesla has showcased what appears to be a near-production-ready Cybercab at its Santana Row showroom in San Jose, California, giving visitors the closest look yet at the autonomous two-seater’s refined design.
Based on photos of the near-production-ready vehicle, the electric vehicle maker has implemented subtle but significant updates to both the Cybercab’s exterior and interior elements, making the vehicle look more polished and seemingly more comfortable than its prototypes from last year.
Exterior and interior refinements
The updated Cybercab, whose photos were initially shared by Tesla advocate Nic Cruz Patane, now features a new frameless window design, an extended bottom splitter on the front bumper, and a slightly updated rear hatch. It also includes a production-spec front lightbar with integrated headlights, new wheel covers, and a license plate bracket.
Notably, the vehicle now has two windshield wipers instead of the prototype’s single unit, along with powered door struts, seemingly for smoother opening of its butterfly doors. Inside, the Cybercab now sports what appears to be a redesigned dash and door panels, updated carpet material, and slightly refined seat cushions with new center cupholders. Its legroom seems to have gotten slightly larger as well.
Cybercab sightings
Sightings of the updated Cybercab have been abundant in recent months. At the end of October, the Tesla AI team teased some of the autonomous two-seater’s updates after it showed a photo of the vehicle being driven through an In-N-Out drive-through by employees in Halloween costumes. The photos of the Cybercab were fun, but they were significant, with longtime Tesla watchers noting that the company has a tradition of driving its prototypes through the fast food chain’s drive-throughs.
Even at the time, Tesla enthusiasts noticed that the Cybercab had received some design changes, such as segmented DRLs and headlamps, actual turn signals, and a splitter that’s a lot sharper. Larger door openings, which now seem to have been teasing the vehicle’s updated cabin, were also observed at the time.
Another Tesla Model 3 variant sold out for January 2026 in China
Wedbush’s Dan Ives sees ‘monster year’ ahead for Tesla amid AI push
