Tesla lowers lease prices on the Model 3 and Model Y
Joe Tegtmeyer
Tesla's third-quarter earnings call is tomorrow, October 18th at 5:30 pm ET, and it may be one for the books. While there will be talk about the quarter that was, the focus will be on the future. Most notable the Cybertruck and the Model 3 Highland.
This call will also mark a changing of the guard or Master of Coin. Zachary Kirkhorn stepped down as CFO in August, and Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla's Chief Accounting Officer, was promoted.
As always, Tesla opened the questions up to investors and encouraged others to vote the question up or down. These pressing inquiries offer a glimpse into retail and institutional investors' collective concerns and curiosities.
Cybertruck Deliveries: Not surprisingly, the number one topic is the long-awaited Cybertruck. The question of how many deliveries Tesla anticipates for 2024 underscores the importance of the vehicle in Tesla's future strategy and the electric truck market. Also, a fleet of Cybertrucks has gathered outside GigaTexas, as we expect a delivery event date to be announced soon.
Model 3 Highland's US Availability: The refreshed Model 3 is on the showroom floor across the ocean, but no word when the Highland will appear in North America. This is a big deal for investors and buyers. It is believed many buyers are waiting on the latest Tesla, and if so, the floodgates will overflow with sales.
The 4680 Battery Cell Update: Tesla's Battery Day left many in awe, with the 4680 cell being the crown jewel of the event. The progress towards its performance enhancements and cost savings could be a game-changer for Tesla's energy storage and electric vehicle range capabilities. Shareholders are eager for an update on this groundbreaking technology.
Expansion Plans and Factory Updates: Tesla's international growth, particularly in Europe, is a focal point for many. Investors seek clarity on capacity expansion at Tesla's Berlin and Austin factories. Furthermore, the timeline for opening the much-discussed Gigafactory in Mexico is also in the spotlight.
Pricing Decisions on FSD: Full Self-Driving (FSD) is seen as a pivotal aspect of Tesla's future. With the recent price drop, despite improvements, investors are curious about the rationale behind this decision and its implications for the company's autonomous driving strategy.
Legal Liability on FSD: Mercedes has recently started accepting legal responsibility when their Level 3 Drive Pilot system is engaged. This move raises the question: will Tesla follow suit with its FSD? This question is paramount, given the public's scrutiny of autonomous driving safety.
Growth Expectations for 2024: Last but not least, growth projections for 2024 have emerged as a critical topic. The consensus anticipates Tesla will deliver approximately 2.3 million vehicles, marking a 28% growth from 2023. Investors are intrigued by whether this can be achieved without a significant mass-market launch and how this aligns with Tesla's long-term Compound Annual Growth Rate targets.
While the numbers from the earnings report will undoubtedly be critical, these seven questions underline the strategic moves and decisions that will shape Tesla's future. The upcoming call promises to be enlightening, shedding light on Tesla's vision and the electric vehicle market's trajectory.
Listen Live
You can listen to Tesla's earnings call above live at 2:30 pm PT / 5:30 pm ET / 9:30 pm UTC.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
Tesla’s plan to brand its autonomous network of taxicabs has found an interesting little snag. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a “nonfinal office action” regarding Tesla’s application to trademark the term “Robotaxi” specifically in connection with autonomous electric vehicles.
This is an initial refusal by USPTO’s examining attorney and is very particular for autonomous electric automobiles. A separate trademark application by Tesla for the term “Robotaxi” as it relates to its upcoming autonomous ride-hailing service is still under examination and has not yet received a similar rebuttal.
Understanding the Refusal
A “nonfinal office action” means the USPTO has found potential issues with the trademark application, as stated, which prevents its immediate approval and subsequent granting to Tesla. Tesla now has a three-month period to file its counterarguments and address the USPTO's concerns.
If Tesla’s response satisfies the examiner, the trademark could be granted.
While the exact content of the office action isn’t detailed in the initial report, such refusals for terms like “Robotaxi” often occur if the USPTO considers the term “merely descriptive” or “generic” for the goods in question. In this particular context, “Robotaxi” could refer to any autonomous taxi vehicle.
Trademark law generally prevents the exclusive registration of terms that competitors would need to use to describe their own similar products. For a term to be trademarked, it typically needs to be distinctive and act as a brand identifier rather than just a descriptive name of the product’s class or type.
Separate Application for Ride-Hailing
Tesla still has a distinct, separate, and still pending application to register “Robotaxi” as a trademark for “transportation services, namely, autonomous ride-hailing services.” The criteria for trademarking a service can differ from those on trademarks for goods, and it’s possible Tesla may have more success securing the name for the service itself, which would allow them to brand the network as “Tesla Robotaxi.”
Why This Matters
Securing a trademark grants exclusive rights to use a brand name in conjunction with specific goods or services. This helps prevent customer confusion and to protect the brand identity.
If the refusal for the vehicle trademark becomes final, Tesla may be limited in its ability to exclusively name a good (specific vehicle) the “Tesla Robotaxi.” Other manufacturers could also potentially use “robotaxi” descriptively for their own autonomous taxi vehicles.
The ability to trademark “Robotaxi” for the ride-hailing service is arguably more critical for Tesla, as they’re working to establish a unique brand for their autonomous transportation network, which kicks off in Austin next month.
The USPTO’s office action won’t hinder Tesla’s ability to develop or deploy its own vehicles in June - instead, it’ll just impact how Tesla can brand the app and their vehicles, which could cause some last-minute delays if they have to rebrand.
Cybercab and Robovan/Robobus Trademarks
While Tesla is facing challenges with the broader Robotaxi term for vehicles, the company is also seeking to trademark “Cybercab,” “Robovan,” and “Robobus.” Securing a less descriptive name for the vehicle itself often has a higher chance of success with USPTO, as it is far more distinctive than a more general term like “robotaxi.”
Why Didn’t Tesla Do This Years Ago?
Tesla may have waited too long to file a trademark for the term “Robotaxi.” While the company has been discussing a self-driving fleet since 2016, the concept of autonomous taxis has gained a lot more traction in recent years — and competitors like Uber have also begun using the term.
We suspect there was some strategic timing behind these filings. Earlier versions of FSD — particularly those prior to V12 — may have lacked the progress needed to support Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions. Filing for a trademark that isn’t actively in use or about to be used can make it harder to defend or retain.
Moreover, while the idea of autonomous vehicles has been around for years, a clearer public understanding of Tesla’s specific plans has only emerged over the past 18 months. Filing too early can trigger speculation long before the company is ready to reveal details.
Ultimately, whether Tesla secures the rights to “Robotaxi” remains uncertain — but trademarks like “Cybercab” and “Robovan” seem much more likely to stick.
One of Tesla’s greatest weaknesses, as it has quickly become one of the world’s most ubiquitous cars on the planet has always been service. Escalating issues to managers and sometimes even reaching a Tesla Service employee can be a total coin flip, depending on your Service Center.
Tesla is continuing its push to integrate AI across its customer support channels in an effort to improve customer service. According to Raj Jegannathan, Tesla’s VP for IT, AI Infrastructure, Apps, Infosecurity, and Vehicle Service Operations (that’s a lot), Tesla is launching a pilot program for a new AI designed to improve customer interactions with Service.
Tesla Service’s new AI Agent detects comms delays, monitors sentiment, & auto-escalates to leaders. Starts tomorrow at 10 pilot locations. In 2 weeks, type “Escalate” in ‘message center’ to reach managers. Guardrails in place to prevent abuse. We’ll keep improving!
At 10 pilot service locations, this new AI agent will begin working behind the scenes at Tesla Service, to help with customer communications. It will provide three key features:
Detect Communications Delays: The AI will actively monitor service interactions to identify potential delays in communication or progress. These are often a key pain point for customers who reach out to Tesla Service and don’t receive a response for several days, as Service has nothing new to add. The AI can now step in and let the customer know Tesla is still waiting on parts or something else.
Monitor Customer Sentiment: By monitoring the tone and content of the messages between the customer and Service agents, Tesla will be able to identify situations where a customer might be dissatisfied or facing difficulties.
Auto-Escalate: If either a communications delay or negative sentiment is detected, the AI can automatically escalate issues to human managers for review. This helps to address problems before customers need to seek escalation themselves or become upset about an issue.
Customer Escalation Requests
Alongside the new AI tool, Tesla is also introducing a more direct way for customers to get higher-level attention. According to Tesla, within the next two weeks, customers can simply type “Escalate” in order to have their issue routed directly to management.
Raj’s team is currently working on implementing guardrails to prevent abuse, but this will soon make its way to improving Tesla’s service offerings. We’re glad to see Tesla taking steps to identify and correct deficiencies in the process - it has always been a sore tooth for Tesla in the last few years.
![Exclusive: A Look Inside the Tesla Diner [PHOTOS]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2025/diner-seats.jpg/b0b4cb51b80d1f29298c9ca6b9ad2ae8/diner-seats.jpg)
