Tesla’s ever-changing costs have puzzled analysts and buyers alike in current months, with many questioning how deep are the corporate’s revenue margins.

Whereas that is one thing solely Tesla insiders know, it seems that the EV maker would not thoughts going additional than simply decreasing margins through worth cuts. On the corporate’s Q1 2023 earnings name on April 19, CEO Elon Musk stated Tesla is prepared to sacrifice revenue for greater volumes within the brief time period, reiterating the carmaker’s dedication to cost cuts.

“We have taken the view that pushing for greater volumes and a bigger fleet is the best alternative right here versus a decrease quantity and better margin,” Musk stated, in accordance with Automotive Information.

Buyers and analysts requested Musk greater than half dozen questions on Tesla’s worth cuts after the corporate slashed costs six instances this 12 months alone. In response to Insider, one of many questions prompted Musk to make a surprising admission.

He stated Tesla may technically even promote its merchandise for “zero revenue” and that the corporate may as a substitute become profitable sooner or later by its autonomous software program. 

“Tesla is in a uniquely robust strategic place as a result of we’re the one ones making automobiles that technically we may promote for zero revenue for from time to time yield really super economics sooner or later by autonomy. Nobody else can do this. Unsure what number of of you’ll respect the profundity of what I’ve simply stated, however this can be very vital.”

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He added that Tesla expects its automobiles will be capable of “generate vital revenue by autonomy” over time, noting that it is “higher to ship numerous automobiles at a decrease margin and subsequently harvest that margin sooner or later as we good autonomy.”

That stated, he reassured buyers that Tesla’s margins stay among the many healthiest within the business, even after a number of rounds of worth cuts this 12 months for the whole passenger automobile lineup.

Tesla missed first-quarter forecasts for whole gross margin – 19 % in contrast with an expectation of twenty-two % from analysts – whereas internet earnings dropped 24 % to $2.5 billion in comparison with the earlier quarter, regardless of a file variety of deliveries within the first quarter – 422,875.

Musk additionally stated on the decision that Tesla’s world manufacturing ought to attain between 1.8 million and a couple of million this 12 months, in comparison with 1.4 million in 2022.

Whereas worth cuts could also be good for enhancing quantity, some analysts say they may harm the model over time as sustaining model status whereas concurrently making an attempt to develop quantity is a tricky balancing act in the long run.