Tesla Global News #12

Elon Musk continues to drop hints about Tesla’s plans to introduce a new, larger vehicle to its lineup.

Currently, Tesla’s only true family-focused vehicle for more than four people is the Model X. This SUV offers up to three rows of seating for seven but has remained largely unchanged over the years. The Model Y can also seat seven, though its third row is significantly more compact than the Model X’s.

While Tesla has emphasized that its future vehicle development revolves around self-driving technology, there’s still demand for vehicles designed for human control—at least until Tesla fully perfects its autonomous systems.

At the recent “We, Robot” event in October, Tesla unveiled the concept for a vehicle dubbed the "Robovan." Though still unofficially named, the design is tailored for transporting sports teams, large groups, or even cargo—offering a versatile alternative to traditional options like U-Haul vans.

However, there still seems to be a request from fans of Tesla that they need something, whether it would be the Robovan or something different.

Musk continues to drop hints on what could be coming:

Musk admits Tesla has “some other things” in development besides the Robovan, a big positive for those who have big families and require more than just seven seats.

It was not the only hint Musk dropped regarding a larger vehicle and its potential to be a part of Tesla’s future plans:

Something definitely seems as if it is on the way. Tesla has already said that it will have a few new vehicles hitting the market in the first half of next year as affordability takes focus.

Now, we could be looking at a few hints at what might be coming besides the Robovan for larger families and groups, especially considering Musk continues to hint toward it.

Tesla has introduced a new home charging promotion for Texas customers, offering a year of discounted rates for those purchasing a new vehicle and enrolling in its electric plan.

Customers who take delivery of a Tesla by December 31 and sign up for the Tesla Electric Fixed Plan can enjoy unlimited home charging for just $5 per month for a year. Typically, the Fixed Plan costs $15 per month per vehicle for unlimited EV charging. Tesla also offers an Electric Dynamic Plan, which provides unlimited charging for $25 per month.

“Get 1 year of unlimited overnight vehicle charging for $5/month when taking delivery of a new Tesla & enrolling in Tesla Electric Fixed Plan by Dec 31,” the company shared on X earlier this week.

Tesla's Electric plans allow the company to manage and adjust energy systems based on market changes, or owners can manually control energy flow through the Tesla app. Those with Powerwalls and solar panels can also sell energy back to the grid at a fixed rate per kWh or at near-market prices with the company’s upgraded monthly plan.

The Fixed plan includes a 12-month term, a $400 credit per year per Powerwall enrolled in Tesla’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program, fixed per-kWh rates for selling energy back to the grid, and discounted electricity rates during off-peak hours. The Dynamic plan offers a $120 credit per year per Powerwall enrolled in VPPs, month-to-month contracts, peak rates during high-demand events, and the ability to sell energy back to the grid at 90% of the real-time market price.

Tesla’s full breakdown of the Electric Fixed and Electric Dynamic plans is available on its website.

Tesla officially launched Tesla Electric in Texas in 2022, following approval from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) the year prior. Over the past few years, Tesla has rolled out multiple VPP pilot programs across the U.S. and other countries, enabling groups of owners to form large, distributed batteries that help meet peak demand.

Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) surged on Monday morning following a bullish report suggesting that President-elect Donald Trump plans to implement a federal framework for self-driving vehicles.

Many analysts believe that Tesla stands to benefit significantly under a Trump administration. After the stock rallied following Trump's election victory, his transition team is taking shape, and it appears that it will create favorable conditions for automakers focused on autonomy, including Tesla.

Currently, self-driving regulations vary by state, with some states imposing stricter guidelines than others. However, a Bloomberg report on Sunday evening indicated that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) could be staffed with policymakers nominated by Trump once he assumes office. These new policymakers would be tasked with creating federal self-driving regulations, potentially accelerating the process.

Tesla has been a key player in the race for autonomy. While it does not yet operate a public driverless robotaxi platform like Waymo or Cruise, Tesla has established itself as a leader in developing self-driving technology. The company's Full Self-Driving platform is still being refined, but it is already highly advanced, and CEO Elon Musk has suggested that autonomous vehicles could be operational in California or Texas as soon as next year.

The company is well-positioned to benefit from the new self-driving regulations that could be introduced by Trump’s NHTSA. Given Musk's close relationship with the President-elect, Tesla may collaborate with the White House to shape fair autonomy rules that prioritize safety while ensuring appropriate regulation.

Investors are excited about the potential for more streamlined self-driving regulations, with many believing that the AI side of Tesla could be valued at up to $1 trillion. This would effectively double Tesla’s current valuation, and some analysts expect the regulatory changes to be expedited under a Trump administration, driving a stock surge sooner than anticipated.

Dan Ives of Wedbush commented:

“This would be a huge step forward in easing US rules for self-driving cars and be a significant tailwind for Tesla’s autonomous and AI vision heading into 2025. We estimate the AI and autonomous opportunity is worth $1 trillion alone for Tesla, and we fully expect under a Trump White House these key initiatives will now get fast-tracked as the federal regulatory spiderweb that Musk & Co. have encountered over the past few years around FSD/autonomous clears significantly under a new Trump era.”

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