Tesla’s latest “Master Plan” is facing a wave of skepticism, with Ross Gerber questioning whether the company can convince people to buy its ambitious new products if car sales are already struggling.
In a post on X, Gerber wrote, “If they won’t buy his cars. Why would they buy a huge robot for their home from him? Or take his cab? Especially when there will be other/better choices. Someone needs to address the elephant in the room at Tesla.”
His comment points to concerns that Tesla is trying to move into robotics and robotaxis at a time when its core electric vehicle sales are slipping.
Musk’s Optimus Bet
Elon Musk has been doubling down on the idea that Tesla’s future lies beyond cars.
Responding to speculation about the company’s direction, Musk posted on X that “~80% of Tesla’s value will be Optimus.”
He added that Optimus, along with Full Self-Driving technology, is the “biggest factors” of Master Plan IV.
Musk also acknowledged criticism that the plan lacked details. “Fair enough. Will add more specifics,” he wrote in response to one comment.
A Plan Short on Details
Tesla unveiled its fourth Master Plan this week, but the rollout left many underwhelmed.
TechCrunch reported that the plan “reads like LLM-generated nonsense” and said it “lacks an important building block of plans: specifics.”
The article described it as “gauzy, generic,” and mocked the vague language with lines like, “The hallmark of meritocracy is creating opportunities that enable each person to use their skills to accomplish whatever they imagine.”
This is in contrast to earlier Tesla roadmaps. Master Plan 2, released in 2016, promised new vehicle types and solar products, some of which remain incomplete.
Master Plan 3 came with a 41-page white paper backing up its ambitions. By comparison, the fourth plan feels vague and less concrete.
Sales Challenges
Tesla’s push toward AI and robotics comes at a time of declining sales. The company recently saw a drop of more than 40 percent in Europe.
In China, Tesla cut the price of its Model 3 Long Range as it faces tough competition from rivals like XPeng, whose P7 sedan sells for around $30,000.
Meanwhile, a compact Tesla spotted at the company’s Giga Texas factory has fueled speculation about a new entry-level car, but for now, vehicles appear to be taking a back seat in Tesla’s official strategy.
The Bigger Question
Gerber’s post taps into a bigger question: can Tesla really go from being a car company to a serious player in AI and robotics, when the bulk of its money still comes from selling vehicles?
Musk says more details are coming soon, but for now, many are waiting to see if the bold talk will turn into something more real and measurable.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Elon Musk” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.