8 Key Takeaways from Tesla's Q4 2024 Earnings Call

Tesla’s Q4 2024 earnings conference call was loaded with Elon Musk’s trademark swagger, big-time confidence, and bold predictions. From full self-driving (FSD) to humanoid robots, Musk painted a vision of a future where Tesla dominates not just the automotive sector but artificial intelligence and robotics. Here are the eight biggest takeaways from the call:
1. Tesla Model Y leads the entire industry
Musk started off by celebrating Tesla’s production and delivery achievements. “In Q4, we set a record and delivered vehicles at an annualized rate of nearly 2 million a year,” he said, emphasizing that the Model Y was the best-selling car of any kind globally. “That's worth noting. Not just the best electric vehicle—the best vehicle of any kind on Earth, No. 1 was Model Y.” Tesla’s shareholder letter added, “we have made it even better, with the New [Juniper] Model Y now launched in all markets.”
2. Full self-driving (FSD) is the key to Tesla’s future
Musk restated his long-standing belief that vehicle autonomy will be the biggest driver of Tesla’s value. “Autonomy is like 10X-ing,” the growth potential for Tesla, according to Musk. He also reaffirmed Tesla’s aggressive push toward deploying an autonomous ride-hailing network, stating, “We will be launching unsupervised full self-driving as a paid service in Austin in June.” He also mentioned that the rollout could include California as well this year.
3. Tesla could be the most valuable company in the world—by far
How far? Musk threw down the gauntlet — making perhaps his most audacious financial prediction yet: “I see a path. I’m not saying it’s an easy path, but I see a path where Tesla is worth more than the next top five companies combined.” He acknowledged the challenges ahead but insisted it would be an achievable goal, given the company’s rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, self-driving technology, and robotics.
4. FSD is not a toddler anymore — it’s growing up fast
Musk addressed ongoing skepticism about Tesla’s FSD progress, using this analogy: “If someone’s last experience with FSD was a toddler, they think it will be a toddler forever. But obviously, it’s growing up—it walks and talks now.” He reiterated his challenge to skeptics: “Try it. When’s the last time you tried it?”
5. The robotaxi revolution is coming
Tesla’s FSD advancements are leading directly to what Musk calls “the largest asset value increase in human history.” He explained, “A passenger car typically has only about 10 hours of utility per week. Once that car is autonomous, my rough estimate is that it is in use for at least 35, maybe 50 hours a week.” He emphasized that the same vehicle could be used for both people and cargo transportation, vastly increasing its value. That said, Tesla’s shareholder letter gave this timeframe: “Our purpose-built Robotaxi product – Cybercab – will continue to pursue a revolutionary ‘unboxed’ manufacturing strategy and is scheduled for volume production starting in 2026.”
6. Tesla’s future will be ‘ballistic’
Musk predicted that Tesla’s growth in the coming years will be exponential. “Things are really going to go ballistic next year and really ballistic in ‘27 and ‘28,” he said. He highlighted that Tesla is laying the groundwork for a manufacturing and AI revolution that will drive unprecedented expansion at the company. Tesla’s shareholder letter also forecasted big things in the short term: “2025 will be a seminal year in Tesla’s history.”
7. Tesla made $600 million from Bitcoin
Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer, Vaibhav Taneja, highlighted a significant financial gain from the company’s Bitcoin holdings. “Our net income in Q4 was impacted by a $600 million mark-to-market benefit from Bitcoin due to the adoption of a new accounting standard for digital assets,” he said. This marks one of the largest cryptocurrency-related gains in Tesla’s financial history — an interesting turn of events as the incoming administration pivots to a more Bitcoin-friendly future.
8. Tesla’s new (cheaper) models are coming soon
Tesla’s shareholder letter notes, “Plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025. These vehicles will utilize aspects of the next-generation platform as well as aspects of our current platforms and will be produced on the same manufacturing lines as our current vehicle lineup.” This approach, Tesla stated, will enable “more than 60% growth over 2024 production before investing in new manufacturing lines.”
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing Musk made clear, it’s that Tesla is not slowing down. From FSD to Optimus, the company is betting big on vehicle autonomy and artificial intelligence. Whether Tesla can deliver on these aggressive timeframes remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure—Musk is as confident as ever. And as history has clearly demonstrated, betting against him is rarely a winning strategy.
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Co-founder of EVANNEX, Matt Pressman owns both a Tesla Model S and Model 3 and remains a long-term investor in TSLA stock. He’s written extensively about Tesla and his work has been published in CleanTechnica, InsideEVs, and Teslarati. He’s also appeared numerous times on Fox Business News and PBS to provide his views on Elon Musk and Tesla.