Tesla's August Sales in China at 50,000 Units, Worst Performance

This is the third consecutive month of year-over-year sales decline. This marks the lowest August sales since 2022, with its market share in China's new energy vehicle market also dropping to 7.17%.

This has reignited inflation concerns, and the market sees a high possibility of interest rate hikes. Rising Treasury yields are spreading fears of rate hikes across the market.

This represents a 114.7% increase year-over-year. While domestic sales in China decreased by more than 12%, exports more than doubled. The proportion of exports out of total Shanghai factory shipments expanded to 51.2%, indicating that Gigafactory Shanghai is transforming from a domestic market hub to a global export base.

This suggests a rapid increase in the speed of Robotaxi-related data collection.

As a result, Cybercab is expected to have a significant cost advantage over existing Model Y-based Robotaxis. This could be a crucial factor in securing competitiveness in the future Robotaxi market.

This is achievable when autonomous driving technology and operational efficiency are maximized. However, the actual sales price and Tesla's margin setting will be critical factors for the future Robotaxi business.

The total cost per mile is calculated by summing vehicle purchase price, electricity costs, insurance premiums, maintenance and cleaning costs, depreciation, and more. This shift in unit significantly impacts how company value is assessed and can relatively reduce the impact of declining sales in China on Tesla's corporate value.

Tesla reconfirmed at a robot event in October 2024 and in an X post in February that it would sell the Cybercab for under $30,000, but currently, Tesla's website lacks specific information such as the suggested retail price, delivery date, or installment terms. Beyond the promise of a launch before 2027, official information is scarce.

Currently, the invitation does not specify transaction terms such as minimum purchase quantity or revenue sharing methods. This indicates that Tesla is planning a new business model that differs from traditional car sales.

However, this post was soon deleted. Such a report demonstrates high market demand for the Robotaxi business, while also suggesting that premature disclosure of information before official data collection can lead to difficult situations.

Tesla has a strategic objective to understand regional demand in advance for the efficient deployment of its Robotaxi business. The deletion of the senior engineer's post, which stated 'tens of thousands' of proposals were received, indirectly indicates that this demand survey system is working better than expected. Through this, Tesla is expected to grasp the approximate demand for how many Robotaxis are needed and where, then formulate its business plan.

Tesla is gradually transforming from a company evaluated primarily by vehicle deliveries and margins to a service server company. As a result, investors are expected to place greater emphasis on Robotaxi sales prices and commission revenue from services when evaluating Tesla's corporate value in the future. The design of return rates between business participants and shareholders will be a crucial factor in Wall Street's target price determination. Investment judgment indicators are evolving alongside Tesla's changing revenue model.