Tesla Q3 Earnings Preview: AI, Robo-Taxis, and Cybercab Production Path in Focus

Tesla stock rises 1.1% ahead of Q3 earnings release, with investors focusing on AI and autonomy plans, including a possible US robo-taxi rollout and 2026 production path for Cybercab and Optimus robotics. The company sold 497,099 vehicles in Q3 2022, up 7% YoY, with some of the lift likely due to buyers rushing to beat the expired $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives remains upbeat, calling the AI era a key part of Tesla's growth thesis and keeping a $600 price target.

Tesla (TSLA.US) stock climbed 1.1% on Monday, September 12, 2025, as investors anticipate the company's Q3 2025 earnings announcement. The earnings release is expected to provide insights into Tesla's financial performance and strategic initiatives, particularly its advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy, including potential US robo-taxi rollouts and 2026 production plans for Cybercab and Optimus robotics.

Tesla delivered a record 497,099 vehicles in Q3 2022, a 7% year-over-year increase, driven in part by buyers rushing to purchase before the expiration of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, according to a Futunn earnings preview. Analysts predict that Tesla's Q3 2025 revenue will reach $26.6 billion, with operating profit expected to be $1.58 billion and earnings per share of $0.55, the preview adds.

Investors are closely watching for updates on Tesla's planned CyberCab and RoboVan, two dedicated autonomous vehicles separate from the company's existing models. Wedbush senior analyst Dan Ives, known for his bullish stance on Tesla, recently raised the company's target price to $600, citing future prospects in AI and autonomy as the key drivers of growth.

Tesla is also expanding its Robotaxi service, with job postings for vehicle operators in multiple US cities, including Aurora, Colorado, and Chicago, Illinois. The company aims to serve "half of the US population" by the end of the year, according to an Eletric Vehicles report. This expansion follows Tesla's launch of the Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, and subsequent regulatory approvals in Nevada and Arizona.

Morgan Stanley has identified "Tesla Mobility/Robotaxi" as a core profit pool for the electric vehicle leader, projecting that Tesla's automated mobility fleet could reach approximately 7.5 million vehicles by 2040, generating significant revenue; that projection is highlighted in the Eletric Vehicles report. RBC Capital's Tom Narayan estimates that Tesla's humanoid robot segment accounts for 36% of its total valuation, while the recently launched Robotaxi contributes another 37%, the report also notes.

As Tesla's earnings call approaches, investors will likely focus on the company's progress in AI supercomputing systems and autonomous driving, as well as any updates on the regulatory environment and potential mass-market affordable electric vehicles.