Tesla's growing Cybercab robotaxi registrations set up the next burn for short sellers. Texas registrations rose by 81 today to 544, per the state registry data shown in the chart. x.comÂ
James Stephenson
Tesla Investor
Tesla's FSD-upgradeable installed base gives it an autonomy lead competitors have yet to match. Over 10 million Teslas sold in the past decade can be upgraded for end-to-end driving and parking, versus zero comparable cars from other automakers. Even older HW2.5 cars can receive a HW3 chip to run v14 Lite, though local rules can prohibit its use. x.com x.com x.com x.com x.com x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's accelerating Cybercab registrations make a commercially significant fleet more plausible, which the market is starting to notice. The tracker shows 544 registered in Texas and 229 spotted on roads; an earlier snapshot counted 114 new registrations in a week and the first Dallas sighting. At that earlier pace, registrations could exceed 1,500 by year-end, or reach 2,000 if growth steepens; at 2,000, the model points toward robotaxi roughly doubling Tesla's earnings. x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's growing Texas robotaxi roster could mean more vehicles deployed soon. Its 970 DMV registrations, including 463 Cybercabs, have significantly narrowed the gap with Waymo's 1,207. Registration does not mean those vehicles are operating in the field yet. x.comÂ
Tesla's robotaxi service is not reliable enough for customers to replace a car. Per @koby_pierce, the Houston geofence is about 26% smaller than advertised; Tesla used a rocket-shaped map that misled customers about reachable coverage. x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's low-cost, high-margin Cybercabs make its Robotaxi opportunity bigger than investors appreciate. ARK estimates each costs about $30K to make and generates $93K a year at roughly 68% gross margin; Tesla is not bullish enough in investors' eyes. Texas registrations show 1,080 Teslas, including 573 Cybercabs, versus 1,207 Waymos; these are registrations, not active rides. Cybercabs already outnumber Model Ys less than two months after launch. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's robotaxi fleet should grow exponentially soon because the first 1,000 vehicles were the hardest and slowest to add. Texas DMV now shows 1,051 registered Tesla robotaxis: 544 Cybercabs, up from 463 on October 25, and 507 Model Ys. Cybercabs outnumber Model Ys for the first time; autonomous miles have surpassed Waymo's in Austin. The next fleet doublings to 2,000, 4,000 and beyond should each take less time. The 690-Cybercab Thanksgiving line is a target, not a forecast. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Tesla isn't a buy yet because the stock, at over 300x trailing earnings, already prices in Robotaxi success that Cybercab hasn't proven at scale. Cybercab began rides in Austin, but about 45 of roughly 420 Tesla autonomous vehicles in Texas only show the cars can run. Order volumes, intervention and accident rates and per-car profit are undisclosed, NHTSA is still reviewing safety, and Q2 operating margin was 1.4% with -$1.1B free cash flow. Approval, fleet growth and unit economics are key. … Show more
Scaling Tesla's robotaxi fleet to 5,000 could yield a $584 million annual revenue run rate by year-end. The model assumes 24/7 operation, 40 daily rides per vehicle averaging five miles, 70% utilization, and current fares of $3 plus $1 per mile. A 5,000-vehicle fleet by year-end is now the expectation; introducing Cybercabs in other states could keep growth going at its current pace. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's Cybercab ramp is gaining ground against Waymo in Austin. Robotaxi Tracker puts Tesla at 438,000 robotaxi miles in the week to October 18, versus Waymo's 406,000 weekly average in Q2 2026; Waymo's data lag means this is not a same-week comparison. x.comÂ
Tesla's delivery beat is already priced in, making it bearish heading into Wednesday's earnings. Auto margins and FSD/Robotaxi are the key items to watch. x.comÂ
Tesla's Cybercab network could eventually become largely self-running because Optimus may build and service cars while the cars drive and charge themselves. Texas registrations now show 544 Cybercabs versus 507 Model Ys; Tesla added 737 robotaxis since September 1 versus Waymo's 471. Cybercab is designed for wireless charging, though people still clean the cars. Musk says Optimus and Cybercab will account for most of Tesla's value. x.com x.comÂ