Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) stock saw a premarket rise of over 2% today following CEO Elon Musk’s announcement that the company plans to unveil a “robotaxi” on August 8. Musk shared the news via his X account late Friday, hinting at Tesla’s ambition to produce a fully autonomous vehicle. He has previously indicated that Tesla aims to develop a car requiring no human intervention, promising ongoing enhancements to its Full Self-Driving Capability through software updates.
In response to Musk’s announcement, Deutsche Bank analysts mentioned that the recent developments could significantly shift investor perspectives, though many questions remain. They also referenced a Reuters report from Friday suggesting Tesla had halted the development of the so-called Model 2, a $25,000 consumer electric vehicle, which Musk refuted as false.
Deutsche Bank highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the Model 2’s progress and the robotaxi’s development stage, considering the substantial technological and regulatory challenges ahead. Meanwhile, Barclays analysts remarked that shifting focus from the Model 2 to a robotaxi might disappoint some of Tesla’s most optimistic supporters, potentially deepening the divide within its investor base.