'Stunningly absent on detail': Tesla robotaxi event leaves investors wanting more

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Investors were left with more questions than answers, it seems, following Tesla’s (TSLA) “We, Robot” robotaxi event on Thursday night.

CEO Elon Musk unveiled a fully autonomous Cybercab from the Warner Bros. Studios lot in Los Angeles, a vehicle with design nods to the EV maker’s Cybertruck. The Cybercab is slated for a 2026 or thereabouts production date, with a promised $30K price tag. Musk also showed off a fully autonomous Robovan that’s aimed at transporting cargo or up to 20 people.

The reveal was more of a Hollywood entertainment event (with 1950s-era set and Tesla-specific movie posters) than product showcase, and while Tesla fans enjoyed rides in the vehicles and drinks made by Tesla’s Optimus robot, investors and Wall Street analysts were less enthused. The company’s stock was down over 7% on Friday.

“Overall, we found Tesla’s Robotaxi event to be underwhelming and stunningly absent on detail,” noted Tesla bear Toni Sacconaghi of Bernstein on Friday. “While Musk articulated his vision for an autonomous world, it offered little beyond what he has articulated repeatedly over the last few years.“

Sacconaghi complained that details on the new product offerings and timeframes were missing. In particular, details about a path toward regulatory approval for robotaxis, FSD (full self-driving) compatibility with Tesla’s existing EV fleet, safety measures, and central monitoring of a robotaxi fleet were lacking.

Read more: Tesla stock sinks as 'toothless' robotaxi disappoints

Sacconaghi felt Tesla would have a hard time leapfrogging other robotaxi competitors — like Waymo and Cruise — for regulatory and technical reasons. In addition, the lack of any details, or even a rendering of the upcoming sub-$30K Tesla EV, dubbed the Model 2, was also a disappointment.

Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk rides in Tesla's robotaxi at an unveilling event in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 10, 2024 in this still image taken from video. Tesla/Handout via REUTERS
Disappointing? Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk rides in Tesla's robotaxi at an unveiling event in Los Angeles. (Screenshot, Tesla/Handout via REUTERS) · Reuters / Reuters

Bernstein and Sacconaghi maintained their Underperform rating and $120 price target following the event.

A lack of detail disappointed Tesla bulls like Adam Jonas of Morgan Stanley as well.

“Heading into what might arguably have been the most highly anticipated product unveil in Tesla’s history, we had a number of expectations of what the market might learn that we felt were consequential to the direction and debate around the stock,” Jonas wrote in a note to clients Friday morning. “We were overall disappointed with the substance and detail of the presentation.”

Specifically with the Cybercab, there was no detailed discussion of technology aspects like sensors, range, safety features, and configurations (seating, for example), Jonas said.

Elon Musk at the
Elon Musk at the "We, Robot" event. (Tesla) · Tesla

Furthermore, like Sacconaghi, Jonas pointed out a lack of detail regarding improvements to FSD, a detailed rollout plan for robotaxis to consumers, and financial analysis, among other things.