What is Tesla's mission?

Q12548 answers2009-2026
Short answer

He said that with AI and robotics, Tesla's mission has been updated to achieving sustainable abundance.

From his 2025-11-06 answer in Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting. Summary is ours; see the quotes below.

All 48 answers, oldest to newest

2009 · 1 answer
🎙 Interview · 2009-04 · Late Show with David Letterman (2009) · asked by David Letterman · watch at 0:59 · transcript ·
He said the goal of Tesla has always been to make mass-market electric cars.
"In fact, the goal of Tesla has always been to make mass market electric cars, even from the beginning."
2012 · 2 answers
🎙 Interview · 2012-06 · Caltech Commencement Address (2012) · asked by Commencement speech · watch at 14:16 · transcript ·
He said the goal of Tesla was to show what electric cars can do and change their slow, ugly golf-cart image.
"the goal with Tesla was really to try to show what electric cars can do"
𝕏 post · 2012-07-27 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @walalm · open post ·
Says his absolute goal with Tesla has always been mass market electric cars.
"my absolute goal w Tesla has always been mass market electric cars."
2015 · 5 answers
🎙 Interview · 2015-01 · Detroit Auto Show · asked by Reporter · watch at 0:00 · transcript ·
He said the need for sustainable transport stays incredibly high and becomes more urgent even as oil prices fall.
"the need for sustainable transport is incredibly High"
🎙 Interview · 2015-01 · Detroit Auto Show · asked by Reporter · watch at 0:21 · transcript ·
He said Tesla open-sourced its patents and offered its Supercharger network to other carmakers to accelerate sustainable cars.
"at Tesla we've open sourced our patents so we're trying to be as helpful as possible uh for the Advent of electric vehicles"
🎙 Interview · 2015-06-09 · Tesla 2015 Annual Shareholder Meeting · asked by Tesla shareholders · watch at 38:05 · transcript ·
He said Tesla's goal is to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy, particularly sustainable transport.
"it's really to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy and particularly sustainable transport"
🎙 Interview · 2015-09 · Tesla Model X Reveal · asked by Tesla · watch at 4:43 · transcript ·
He said the world desperately needs sustainable transport.
"The world desperately needs sustainable transport."
🎙 Interview · 2015-10 · Big Think · asked by Big Think · watch at 0:52 · transcript ·
He said the goal with Tesla was to serve as a catalyst to accelerate the day of electric vehicles.
"That was the goal with Tesla, is to try serve as a catalyst to accelerate the day, the day of electric vehicles."
2016 · 3 answers
🎙 Interview · 2016-01 · Tesla Hong Kong Event · asked by Speech · watch at 1:07 · transcript ·
He said the goal of Tesla is to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport, which is also why Tesla open-sourced its patents.
"the goal of Tesla is to accelerate the Advent of sustainable transport"
🎙 Interview · 2016-01 · Tesla Hong Kong Event · asked by Speech · watch at 1:31 · transcript ·
He said Tesla expected to have the Model 3, a lower-price, higher-volume car, in about two years.
"in about two years we expect to have the model 3 which is a lower price higher volume car"
🎙 Interview · 2016-03 · Tesla Model 3 Unveiling · asked by Tesla · watch at 1:35 · transcript ·
He said it is very important to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport.
"very important to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport"
2019 · 3 answers
🎙 Interview · 2019-03 · Tesla Model Y Unveiling · asked by Tesla · watch at 1:02 · transcript ·
He said Tesla always designs with safety as the number one goal.
"And at Tesla we actually always design with safety as the number one goal."
🎙 Interview · 2019-06 · Tesla Shareholder Meeting 2019 · asked by Shareholder · watch at 38:35 · transcript ·
He said it is basically mad to buy a fossil fuel car at this point.
"So it's just basically mad to buy a fossil fuel powered car at this point"
🎙 Interview · 2019-11 · Golden Steering Wheel Award · asked by Moderator · watch at 8:03 · transcript ·
He said his interest in electric cars went back to high school, from a physics view that we need something long-term sustainable.
"So my original interest in electric cars, which goes back to almost high school, was really From a physics standpoint, we have to have something that is long term sustainable."
2020 · 12 answers
🎙 Interview · 2020-01-29 · Tesla Q4 and full year 2019 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 1:52 · transcript ·
He notes Tesla has the highest-demand electric vehicle in the world with no advertising spend.
"to have the highest demand electric vehicle in the world with no advertising spend is, I think quite remarkable"
🎙 Interview · 2020-04-29 · Tesla Q1 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 33:08 · transcript ·
He restates that Tesla's overarching goal is to help accelerate the advent of sustainable energy.
"Our overarching goal is to help accelerate the advent of sustainable energy."
🎙 Interview · 2020-04-29 · Tesla Q1 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 15:26 · transcript ·
He says Tesla's overall goal is to maximize the area under the curve of customer happiness.
"Our overall goal is to maximize the area under the curve of customer happiness."
🎙 Interview · 2020-04-29 · Tesla Q1 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 19:49 · transcript ·
He says people would rather go to the dentist than buy a new car, so Tesla makes ordering easy.
"They would rather go to the dentist than buy a new car."
🎙 Interview · 2020-04-29 · Tesla Q1 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 33:35 · transcript ·
He says Tesla has no market share goals; accelerating sustainable energy is the fundamental good.
"to the degree that we can accelerate the advent of sustainable energy. We think that's a fundamental good for the world"
𝕏 post · 2020-06-27 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @GerberKawasaki · open post ·
He said physics favors electric transport, batteries for stationary storage and solar/wind for generation.
"Physics favors electric transport, batteries for stationary storage & solar/wind for energy generation"
🎙 Interview · 2020-07-22 · Tesla Q2 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 54:47 · transcript ·
He says Tesla will not succeed in its mission without making cars affordable.
"We will not succeed in our mission if we do not make cars"
🎙 Interview · 2020-07-22 · Tesla Q2 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 54:49 · transcript ·
He says what bugs him most is that Tesla cars are not affordable enough.
"Like the thing that bugs me the most about where we are right now is that our cars are not affordable enough."
🎙 Interview · 2020-07-22 · Tesla Q2 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 55:19 · transcript ·
He says Tesla must not go bankrupt, but is not trying to be super profitable either.
"But we're not trying to be super profitable either."
🎙 Interview · 2020-10-21 · Tesla Q3 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 54:34 · transcript ·
He says the 20 million vehicles a year goal comes from replacing 1% of the global fleet of about 2 billion vehicles.
"So that's where the 20 million vehicles per year comes from. It's like 1% of 2 billion vehicles, which is the global fleet."
🎙 Interview · 2020-10-21 · Tesla Q3 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 29:20 · transcript ·
He says the best company will be the one that makes great products at an affordable price.
"ultimately the best company will be that which makes great products at an affordable price."
🎙 Interview · 2020-10-21 · Tesla Q3 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 54:10 · transcript ·
He says 20 million vehicles a year is a good goal because it would replace 1% of the global fleet each year.
"it does seem like a good goal to have because that would mean that we're replacing 1% of the global fleet per year."
2021 · 2 answers
🎙 Interview · 2021-01-31 · Clubhouse conversation (The Good Time Show) (2021) · asked by Clubhouse hosts · watch at 44:01 · transcript ·
He says Tesla's goal from the beginning has been to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy.
"the goal with Tesla is to and has been from the beginning is to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy."
🎙 Interview · 2021-06 · Tesla Model S Plaid Delivery Event · asked by Tesla · watch at 0:13 · transcript ·
He said no production car had ever done 0 to 60 in under 2 seconds.
"The no production car has ever done 0 to 60 in under 2 seconds."
2022 · 2 answers
𝕏 post · 2022-10-20 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @Teslarati · open post ·
He said accelerating sustainable energy is Tesla's primary mission.
"Accelerating sustainable energy is our primary mission"
𝕏 post · 2022-12-04 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @POTUS · open post ·
He said Tesla open-sourced its charge connector and is letting other EVs use Superchargers.
"Worth mentioning that Tesla has open-sourced its charge connector and is enabling other EVs to use Tesla Superchargers"
2023 · 11 answers
🎙 Interview · 2023-01-25 · Tesla Q4 and full year 2022 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 10:32 · transcript ·
He says a vast number of people want a Tesla but cannot afford one, so price really matters.
"there's just a vast number of people that want to buy a Tesla car but can't afford it."
🎙 Interview · 2023-01-25 · Tesla Q4 and full year 2022 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 10:45 · transcript ·
He says people with a lot of money forget how important affordability is, and Tesla aims to make affordable cars.
"for those people who are, well, you know, have a lot of money, they sort of forget about how important affordability is."
🎙 Interview · 2023-04-19 · Tesla Q1 2023 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 1:00:20 · transcript ·
He says Tesla wants all EVs to succeed and points to opening its Superchargers and making its patents free.
"we want all EVs to succeed too."
🎙 Interview · 2023-04-19 · Tesla Q1 2023 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 45:50 · transcript ·
He predicts people will look back on gasoline cars the way they look back on steam engines.
"we'll look back on internal combustion engine vehicles the same way we look back on external combustion engine vehicles, which, like a steam engine."
🎙 Interview · 2023-04-19 · Tesla Q1 2023 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 1:05:15 · transcript ·
He says the best service is no service, because the car doesn't break.
"the best service is no service. The car doesn't break."
🎙 Interview · 2023-04-19 · Tesla Q1 2023 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 46:05 · transcript ·
He says gasoline cars will become like steam engines: quirky collector items.
"That's how gasoline cars will be in the future."
🎙 Interview · 2023-04-19 · Tesla Q1 2023 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 45:33 · transcript ·
He tells analysts to stop looking at an EV market and just look at how many cars Tesla sells.
"you guys got to stop looking at it as the EV market."
🎙 Interview · 2023-07-14 · xAI launch X Spaces (2023) · asked by X Spaces host · watch at 57:29 · transcript ·
He says Tesla open-sources patents to act aspirationally as a minesweeper.
"Tesla does continue to make patents and open source them"
🎙 Interview · 2023-10-18 · Tesla Q3 2023 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 49:42 · transcript ·
He stresses that cost is not optional for most buyers and Tesla must make its cars more affordable.
"We have to make our cars more affordable so people can buy it."
🎙 Interview · 2023-10-18 · Tesla Q3 2023 earnings call (2023) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 36:13 · transcript ·
He says Tesla is simplifying the next vehicle to reach a production rate unheard of in the industry.
"we're doing everything possible to simplify that vehicle in order to achieve a units per minute level that is unheard of in the auto industry."
🎙 Interview · 2023-12-21 · X Spaces with Cathie Wood (ARK Invest) (2023) · asked by Cathie Wood · watch at 43:32 · transcript ·
He says Tesla may have created more employee millionaires than any company in history.
"I think Tesla may have created more employee millionaires than any company in history."
2024 · 3 answers
🎙 Interview · 2024-07-23 · Tesla Q2 2024 earnings call (2024) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 5:42 · transcript ·
He says the EV slowdown is short term and the world is headed for fully electrified transport.
"we still firmly believe that EVs are best for customers and that the world is headed for fully electrified transport"
🎙 Interview · 2024-10-23 · Tesla Q3 2024 earnings call (2024) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 38:05 · transcript ·
He says non-autonomous gasoline cars will become niche, like horses.
"Everything's going to be electric, autonomous."
🎙 Interview · 2024-10-23 · Tesla Q3 2024 earnings call (2024) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 58:00 · transcript ·
He says Tesla's larger mission is to accelerate progress toward a sustainable energy future.
"our larger mission is to accelerate the progress towards a sustainable energy future."
2025 · 3 answers
🎙 Interview · 2025-04-22 · Tesla Q1 2025 earnings call (2025) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 12:34 · transcript ·
He says Tesla's future rests on autonomous cars and vast numbers of autonomous humanoid robots, both at large scale.
"The future of the company is fundamentally based on large scale autonomous cars and large scale, vast numbers of autonomous humanoid robots."
🎙 Interview · 2025-04-22 · Tesla Q1 2025 earnings call (2025) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 24:25 · transcript ·
He sums up Tesla's purpose as sustainable abundance delivered by affordable AI-powered robots.
"delivering sustainable abundance with our affordable AI powered robots."
🎙 Interview · 2025-11-06 · Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting · asked by Tesla shareholders · watch at 1:05:54 · transcript ·
He said that with AI and robotics, Tesla's mission has been updated to achieving sustainable abundance.
"it's a great mission which is to achieve sustainable abundance"
2026 · 1 answer
𝕏 post · 2026-03-07 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @aakashgupta · open post ·
He said Tesla patents are open source and Tesla files patents to block trolls, not for protection from competitors.
"Tesla patents are open source. We do patents to block the trolls, not because we need protection from competitors."

Last updated: 2026-03-07 (newest answer).

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