Tesla Q3 Earnings Call: How to Listen & What to Expect

Another quarter is in the books, and that means it’s time for Tesla’s Q3 2026 earnings call. Tesla delivered 486,532 vehicles in Q3, handily beating analyst expectations, and Q3 and Q4 are usually Tesla’s strongest quarters of the year as it pushes to close out annual numbers.

The financials are only part of the story, though. The Q&A session is often where we learn the most about what’s next for Tesla’s products, and this quarter there’s plenty to ask about. Tesla just unveiled the new Roadster, now has more than 300 Cybercabs offering driverless rides in Austin (with a Dallas launch coming up, recently extended Robotaxi hours until midnight, and FSD is picking up serious momentum in Europe.

How to Listen

The earnings call will be live-streamed on Tesla’s Investor Relations website. It’s also expected to stream on X and YouTube, like in past quarters, although Tesla hasn’t shared those links yet. We’ll post them here closer to the event so you can listen live.

Start Time

Tesla’s live stream starts at 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 21.

Tesla’s Q3 So Far

Tesla has already released its Q3 2026 production and delivery numbers. Deliveries were up 1.3% from Q2 and beat an analyst consensus of 461,974 vehicles by 5.3%. They were still down 2.1% from Q3 2025, when buyers rushed to grab the U.S. federal EV tax credit before it expired. Here’s a breakdown of Tesla’s Q3 2026 results:

Energy storage was a weak spot this quarter. Tesla deployed 13.7 GWh, up from both Q2 and last year, but well short of the 15.9 GWh analysts expected.

How to Submit and Vote On Questions

Tesla lets shareholders submit questions that are voted on and may be answered during the Q&A session. To submit your own question or vote on one that’s already been submitted, you’ll need to be a verified shareholder. Head to Say’s platform and link your brokerage account.

Once verified, you can vote your shares on your own question or someone else’s. Here’s the link to get started on Say’s Tesla Q3 2026 Q&A. Submissions and voting close on Tuesday, October 20, at 1:00 p.m. PT.

Top Questions So Far

Shareholders have already submitted more than 800 questions. Here are the top ones so far, ranked by shares represented:

1. How does the Cybercab fleet scale past Austin, and what’s the regulatory path outside Texas given NHTSA’s open safety review?

2. When can we anticipate FSD unsupervised in customer cars?

3. When will the CyberCab be available for customer purchase/ownership?

4. What’s the unit economics per paid robotaxi mile, and how does it compare to the thirty-cent target?

5. Tesla has acknowledged that HW3 vehicles cannot support unsupervised FSD. When will owners know whether they can upgrade their hardware for free, and when will Tesla provide a clear plan?

6. What’s the cost per Optimus unit, and what does the first paying customer look like?

7. When do you anticipate Optimus will begin generating revenue?

And here are some other ones we found interesting:

• Mapping for FSD continues to be a problem. The three biggest issues are recognizing proper speed limits, parking, and typical routes. I understand you use various third-party maps, but why not use your own maps. Authorize trusted/verified Tesla owners to provide input.

• Can Tesla offer a full size van for passengers and cargo soon, please?

• What is the ownership structure of Terafab?

• How are SI assets partitioned between SPCX and TSLA?

What to Expect

Cybercab is likely to be a major topic. The top question asks about scaling the fleet beyond Austin while NHTSA reviews how Tesla certified the vehicle, and Tesla recently got a 30-day extension to respond to that probe, with a deadline of October 30. Dallas is next in line for Cybercab rides, so we may get a timeline.

FSD (Supervised) and Optimus are also on investors’ minds. Expect details about unsupervised FSD for customer cars, FSD v15, and the path to 24/7 Robotaxi service. Investors also want to know about Optimus costs and when it will start making money.

The call also comes just ahead of Tesla’s 2026 Annual Shareholder Meeting on December 3. There, Tesla is asking shareholders to re-elect Elon Musk, Robyn Denholm, and JB Straubel to the Board.

Earnings Call Details

Tesla will release its Q3 2026 financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, October 21, followed by the earnings call at 5:30 p.m. ET. We’ll add the stream links here before it starts.

We’ll have a full recap of the call afterward, along with deeper dives into anything new Tesla shares about its products and plans.