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Investing.com -- Tesla’s ambitious projects in autonomous driving, robotics, and manufacturing expansion were in focus as Piper Sandler analysts toured the Nevada Gigafactory this week.
The analysts said in a note Friday that construction is underway on the assembly facility for the Tesla Semi.
“We’ve never expected much from this product, but we’d love to be proven wrong (Tesla is clearly prepping for a major ramp),” Piper Sandler wrote.
On autonomy, the firm highlighted that Tesla’s robo-taxi service in Austin has expanded to more than 170 square miles, compared with about 90 square miles for Waymo in the same city.
The company aims to launch Full Self-Driving (FSD) v14 in September or October, which Piper Sandler said “should enable Tesla owners to use software that is on par with robo-taxis in Austin.”
Regulatory caution remains a factor, but Piper Sandler argued that “in the end, regulators’ skepticism should fade, so long as the data is convincing.”
Beyond vehicles, Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot could soon play a role in internal operations. “By this time in 2026, Optimus should be moving/staging parts within Tesla’s facilities,” the analysts said, adding that if it can work 18-hour shifts, “a $100k cost would be justified.”
Tariff costs are expected to rise in the second half, with a per-unit cost impact of “a couple thousand” dollars. Meanwhile, U.S. tax credit changes are driving a demand “pull-forward” in the third quarter, though Piper Sandler noted this may be cushioned by sales of Tesla’s lower-cost vehicle.
Piper Sandler reiterated its Overweight rating on Tesla, citing the company’s “guiding principle: defend free cash flow and protect self-funding status.”