Tesla Motors might delay releasing a lower-priced electric vehicle that investors hope will come out in 2025 and boost sales growth, according to a report. If true, the news would move the stock.
Shareholders, however, might want to wait to hear any such announcement from Tesla itself before making any descions about their holdings.
Reuters reported on Friday that plans for a stripped-down version of Tesla's Model Y crossover vehicle are being delayed, with significant production planned for 2026. If that is indeed what Tesla had planned to launch as its lower-priced model -- and production doesn't happen at all this year -- investors will be disappointed.
Tesla didn't respond to Barron's request for comment.
Tesla shipped about 1.8 million EVs in both 2023 and 2024. Estimates for 2025 sit at about 1.8 million, as well, according to FactSet.
Consensus estimates at the start of the year called for Tesla to deliver 2.1 million vehicles in 2025; those were lowered after the company's relatively disappointing first-quarter delivery results. For the period, Tesla delivered about 337,000 vehicles, down 13% year over year.
It was the worst quarter drop in the company's history -- and it was also about 40,000 vehicles less than Wall Street expected. The results fueled concerns that Tesla CEO Elon Musk's position in the Trump administration was turning off core Tesla buyers -- politically left-leaning people looking to go green.
There was another reason for the first-quarter disappointment: Tesla updated its Model Y. Model changeovers can create an air pocket for sales, with buyers waiting for to purchase the latest versions of vehicle models.
It's possible the Model Y decision reported on by Reuters isn't the lower-priced model at all. Wall Street isn't expecting the Y to be the new model. Instead, analysts expect something smaller, possibly based on the design of the Cybercab that the EV maker plans to start selling in 2026.
Reuters reported in April 2024 that Tesla was stopping development of a lower-priced car in favor of a robotaxi. Musk denied the report on X at the time. Tesla unveiled its Cybercab robotaxi in October of that year, while sticking to its development plans for a lower-priced vehicle.
Investors will have a nervous few days waiting to hear Tesla's plans. The auto maker reports first-quarter earnings on April 22. Of course, Musk could tweet about the issue first.
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.