Tesla(US:TSLA) The Motley Fool·2025-12-01 14:45Core Viewpoint - Tesla, despite recent challenges, is positioned for significant growth in 2026, particularly through advancements in autonomous driving technology [2][7]. Financial Performance - Tesla reported Q3 revenue of $28.09 billion, an increase from $25.18 billion year-over-year, with record deliveries of 497,099 vehicles [4]. - Net income decreased from $2.71 billion in Q3 2024 to $1.62 billion in the current quarter, with operating margin dropping from 10.8% to 5.8% [4]. Sales Trends - In Q4, Tesla's sales in Europe fell by 48.5%, in China by 35.8%, and in the U.S. by 24% compared to the previous year [5][6]. - The decline in sales is attributed to various factors, including market competition and the expiration of tax incentives [6]. Autonomous Driving Potential - Tesla has rolled out version 14 of its full self-driving (FSD) software and made its Robotaxi app available in the U.S. and Canada, which are crucial for monetizing vehicles [7]. - Analyst Rob Wertheimer suggests that the rapid deployment of FSD improvements could lead to a significant market shift towards Tesla [8]. Market Sentiment - Tesla's FSD technology is expected to go mainstream, potentially surprising many consumers who have yet to experience autonomous vehicles [9]. - The company has reported that 12% of its customers have purchased the FSD software, with over 6 billion miles driven using the platform [10]. Future Developments - Tesla is working on enhancing reasoning capabilities for the FSD platform, with plans to introduce these features in upcoming software versions [11]. - The company is viewed as a leader in autonomous driving, with a substantial fleet ready for deployment once the software is fully developed [12].