Tesla executives spent Thursday morning urging Wall Street to update its valuation models to account for the new Roadster’s ability to execute a perfect 360-degree aerial barrel roll using SpaceX thrusters.
The demonstration, which saw the long-delayed sports car launch off a ramp and complete a controlled flip, was immediately framed by leadership as a core business fundamental. CEO Elon Musk told investors that the cold-gas thruster stunt is expected to serve as a massive tailwind for the automaker, arguing that legacy competitors like Ford and Toyota currently offer zero consumer sedans capable of landing a sick kickflip.
When factoring in the aerodynamic advantages of doing a 360-degree barrel roll over a congested intersection, the unit economics of the thruster package begin to make perfect financial sense.
During the subsequent earnings call, management sidestepped questions from Morgan Stanley regarding the vehicle's production timeline, battery degradation, and federal crash safety ratings. Instead, executives directed analysts to a 40-page deck breaking down the rotational velocity of the car's mid-air spin, noting that the ability to violently launch a $200,000 vehicle over slower traffic provides a distinct competitive moat.
Tesla shares closed marginally lower on Thursday as investors waited to see if the company's upcoming Model 2 would be capable of grinding a guardrail.