According to Elon Musk, We Will Forget Tesla Ever Made Cars
As global car sales decline, Tesla is navigating a turbulent period marked by regulatory pressure and persistent issues with its driver-assistance software. Falling revenues, shrinking profits, and unmet autonomy promises are challenging the company’s traditional identity as an automaker.
Yet Elon Musk remains determined to redefine Tesla’s future. In his view, Tesla is no longer a car company, but a next-generation technology powerhouse built around artificial intelligence, robotics, and autonomy. Musk has even suggested that, in time, people will forget Tesla ever produced automobiles at all.
At the heart of this transformation is Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot project. Musk claims Optimus could eventually turn Tesla into a $25 trillion robotics giant. His recent agreement with an investor’s remark that Tesla would be remembered solely as a robot manufacturer reinforced this narrative.
Tesla’s decision to discontinue Model S and Model X production to focus on Optimus further signals a deliberate shift away from traditional car manufacturing. However, the gap between Musk’s bold promises and present-day reality remains wide. Production targets have been missed, demonstrations have fallen short, and functional robots are still absent from Tesla’s factories.
Despite setbacks, investors continue to buy into Musk’s long-term vision—one centered on autonomous driving, robotaxis, software subscriptions, and humanoid robots. Tesla’s story today is not just about transformation, but about how technological ambition and narrative can sustain immense market value, even as practical execution lags behind.
