Will China Drive Its Electric Cars In From Mexico?
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 05 2024
0mins
Should l Buy TSLA?
Source: WSJ
- Location of Giga Mexico: The potential site for Tesla's Giga Mexico, the world's largest electric-vehicle factory, is located outside Monterrey, Mexico.
- Investment and Jobs: The project could bring in as much as $15 billion in investment from Tesla and its suppliers, along with promising thousands of jobs.
- Competition from Chinese Companies: Chinese competitors are showing interest in Tesla's Giga Mexico project.
- Geographical Context: The factory site is situated 150 miles south of the Texas border and near the Sierra de Santa Catarina mountain range.
- Potential Impact: If successful, Giga Mexico could have significant economic and industrial implications for the region.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy TSLA?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on TSLA
Wall Street analysts forecast TSLA stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for TSLA is 401.93 USD with a low forecast of 25.28 USD and a high forecast of 600.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
30 Analyst Rating
12 Buy
11 Hold
7 Sell
Hold
Current: 406.010
Low
25.28
Averages
401.93
High
600.00
Current: 406.010
Low
25.28
Averages
401.93
High
600.00
About TSLA
Tesla, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, sells and leases high-performance fully electric vehicles and energy generation and storage systems, and offers services related to its products. Its segments include automotive, and energy generation and storage. The automotive segment includes the design, development, manufacturing, sales and leasing of high-performance fully electric vehicles, and sales of automotive regulatory credits. It also includes sales of used vehicles, non-warranty maintenance services and collisions, part sales, paid supercharging, insurance services revenue and retail merchandise sales. The energy generation and storage segment include the design, manufacture, installation, sales and leasing of solar energy generation and energy storage products and related services and sales of solar energy systems incentives. Its consumer vehicles include the Model 3, Y, S, X and Cybertruck. Its lithium-ion battery energy storage products include Powerwall and Megapack.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Significant Market Potential: Tesla's robotaxi business is expected to scale up by 2026, with Musk stating that services will roll out in multiple U.S. cities this year; if realized, this prediction could provide strong competitive evidence for investors, especially against Waymo.
- Investor Confidence Boost: The launch of Tesla's first robotaxis in Austin could significantly enhance investor confidence in the company's long-term growth potential, particularly in its leadership in electric vehicles and autonomous driving.
- Substantial Valuation Risks: Tesla's price-to-earnings ratio stands at 390, far exceeding the S&P 500 average of 26, which necessitates that investors have immense confidence in the company's technological leadership and its ability to dominate the robotaxi market.
- Cautious Investment Advice: While the potential growth of the robotaxi business could act as a catalyst for Tesla's stock, given Musk's past overly optimistic projections that often fell short, investors should adopt a wait-and-see approach to mitigate risks associated with high valuations.
See More
- Tech Sector Decline: Qualcomm's (QCOM) forecast of weaker-than-expected Q2 revenue led to an over 8% drop in its stock, triggering a sell-off across the tech sector, with the Nasdaq 100 index hitting a 2.5-month low, indicating waning investor confidence in technology stocks.
- Weak Labor Market Signals: Challenger's report revealed a staggering 117.8% year-over-year increase in job cuts for January, totaling 108,435, the highest for January since 2009, while initial jobless claims rose by 22,000 to 231,000, highlighting vulnerabilities in the US labor market that could hinder economic recovery.
- Bitcoin Plunge: Bitcoin (^BTCUSD) plummeted over 12% to a 1.25-year low, reflecting deepening negative momentum in the cryptocurrency market, with approximately $2 billion flowing out of Bitcoin ETFs in the past month, signaling a decline in investor confidence.
- Earnings Season Impact: Despite 150 S&P 500 companies set to report earnings this week, market focus on economic data intensifies, with S&P 500 earnings expected to grow by 8.4% in Q4, yet overall market sentiment remains suppressed by recent economic weakness.
See More
- Underperformance Noted: Despite positive developments in self-driving technology, Tesla is underperforming in 2026, with a 12% decline compared to a 2% drop in the Nasdaq 100, indicating significant market pressure and investor skepticism.
- Safety Monitor Removal Proposal: Investor Gary Black suggests that Tesla should remove safety monitors from its robotaxis to alleviate doubts about its unsupervised self-driving capabilities, which could enhance market confidence in the company's future.
- New Pickup Truck Design: Black emphasizes that launching a new pickup truck that aligns more closely with conventional designs could help Tesla recover its stock performance, projecting that even a 10% market share could add $1.20 per share to earnings, reflecting a 40% increase in 2027 earnings.
- Musk's Stock Purchase: Black also highlights that if CEO Elon Musk were to purchase additional shares, it would send a strong confidence signal to investors, potentially boosting both investor sentiment and Tesla's stock performance.
See More
- Delivery Growth: Tesla's deliveries in January 2025 rose by 9% to 69,129 units from 63,238 in January 2024, maintaining competitiveness in China's EV market despite a broader industry slowdown.
- Intensified Price Competition: With the base Model 3 priced at around 235,500 yuan, nearly three times the cost of BYD's Seal, Tesla is engaging in aggressive pricing strategies, including offering five-year 0% interest loans to attract buyers.
- Declining Market Share: Despite the increase in deliveries, Tesla's sales in China fell by 4.8%, making it one of only two manufacturers reporting a decline in annual sales, indicating a lack of demand growth.
- Regulatory Impact: The Chinese government announced that starting in 2027, all car door handles must have both interior and exterior mechanical releases, posing a design challenge for Tesla, particularly due to its signature flush door handle feature.
See More
- Sales Growth: According to the China Passenger Car Association, Tesla's January 2025 deliveries reached 69,129 units, marking a 9% year-over-year increase, demonstrating resilience amid a broader industry slowdown.
- Intensified Competition: Tesla faces fierce competition from Chinese brands like BYD and Geely, which delivered 205,518 and 124,252 units respectively in the same month, putting pressure on Tesla's market share in China.
- Impact of Price Wars: Tesla has responded to price wars by offering five-year 0% interest loans and seven-year ultra-low interest loans; however, its sales still fell by 4.8% in 2025, indicating weak demand growth.
- Regulatory Challenges: The Chinese government announced a ban on concealed door handles starting in 2027, posing a design challenge for Tesla, while other Chinese brands may adapt more easily to this new regulation.
See More
- Rivian's Future Key: Rivian aims to launch the R2 model in 2026 targeting the mass market, which could lead to sustainable profitability if successful, but uncertainty looms if it fails.
- Tesla's Market Position: While Tesla is profitable and presents lower risks, CEO Elon Musk's statements and the shift towards humanoid robots may impact stock prices, introducing additional uncertainties.
- Valuation Issues: Tesla's price-to-earnings ratio stands at an astronomical 380x, significantly higher than other major automakers, indicating investors' high expectations for its future, but also posing substantial risks.
- Investment Advice: Currently, investing in Rivian carries high risks suitable for aggressive investors, while Tesla, though relatively safer, requires close monitoring of its future direction.
See More











