Elon Musk says ‘don’t forget about my robots’ as Roadster, Semi, Cybertruck deadlines slip
VergeOct 26, 2021
The Facts
CEO Elon Musk touted a humanoid robot, 'Optimus', as Tesla's most important product in development during an earnings call with investors.
The announcement came as Tesla reported record-breaking growth for 2021 and quarterly profits topping analysts' expectations.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is classic misdirection by Musk, who's using the long-term prospect of a humanoid robot replacing human labor to distract shareholders from major production delays with Cybertruck, Semi and Roadster.
Narrative B
The call affirmed the longterm investment thesis behind Tesla, which is set to increase its sales by another 50% this year despite facing the same supply chain challenges plaguing other car manufacturers.