Tesla Expects Austin Robotaxi Fleet to Double Next Month
Institutional investors and professional traders rely on The Fly to keep up-to-the-second on breaking news in the electric vehicle and clean energy space, as well as which stocks in these sectors that the best analysts on Wall Street are saying to buy and sell.From the hotly-debated high-flier Tesla, Wall Street's newest darling Rivian, traditional-stalwarts turned EV-upstarts GMand Fordto the numerous SPAC-deal makers that have come public in this red-hot space, The Fly has you covered with "Charged," a weekly recap of the top stories and expert calls in the sector.Clickto check out Tesla's recent Media Buzz Sentiment as measured by TipRanks.AUSTIN ROBOTAXI:Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in aon X that the Tesla Robotaxi fleet in Austin "should roughly double next month."SALES PRESSURES:While Tesla CEO Elon Musk has spent much of the year focused on robotics pursuits and winning shareholder approval of his pay package, the outlook for the company's main business of selling cars is darkening, Nick Carey and Abhirup Roy of Reuters. Tesla is facing sales pressures in Europe, China, and the United States, with global vehicle deliveries expected to decline 7% this year.WEAKER EV MARKETS:Mizuho analyst Vijay Rakesh lowered the firm's price target on Outperform-rated Tesla to $475 from $485. The firm reduced estimates for Tesla citing weaker electric vehicle markets in China and the U.S. The company also faces potential posing headwinds for analog in 2026, the firm tells investors in a research note. Mizuho believes China could see electric vehicle demand headwinds as the government reduces subsidies by 50% in 2026.DELIVERY REPORTS:Nioannounced its November delivery results. The company delivered 36,275 vehicles in November, representing an increase of 76.3% year-over-year. The deliveries consisted of 18,393 vehicles from the company's smart electric vehicle brand Nio, 11,794 vehicles from Onvo and 6,088 vehicles from Firefly. Cumulative deliveries reached 949,457 as of November 30.Li Autoannounced that it delivered 33,181 vehicles in November. As of November 30, Li Auto's cumulative deliveries reached 1,495,969. The company expects the monthly production capacity for Li i6 to reach 20,000 units by early next year and plans to release OTA 8.1 in early December 2025.XPengalso announced its vehicle delivery results for November. XPeng delivered 36,728 EVs in November, representing a year-over-year increase of 19%. From January to November, XPeng's cumulative deliveries reached 391,937 units, up 156% year-on-year. XPeng's overseas deliveries from January to November reached 39,773 units, marking a 95% year-on-year increase.Zeekrsaid that in November, the company delivered a total of 63,902 vehicles across its Zeekr and Lynk & Co brands, representing increases of 7.1% year-over-year and 3.7% month-over-month.BUY NIO:Freedom Capital upgraded Nio to Buy from Hold with a price target of $7, up from $6.50. The Chinese EV maker has shown accelerating delivery growth in recent quarters and intends to build on that momentum with the launch of two sub-brands, notes the firm, which believes that rising shipments next year will drive the company's revenue to "new record levels."SLOWER 2026 DEMAND:Macquarie analyst Eugene Hsiao downgraded Nio to Neutral from Outperform with a price target of $5.30, down from $6.70, following the Q3 report. The company issued "weak" Q4 volume guidance of 122,500 units at the midpoint, below its prior outlook of 150,000, partly due to the phase out of government subsidies hurting Onvo demand, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm cut its estimates for Nio on slower market demand in fiscal 2026, saying no new model launches until Q2 means likely weak demand in Q1.
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- First Profitability Expectation: NIO Inc. anticipates an operational profit of $100 million to $172 million for Q4 2025, marking its first profitable quarter, driven by increased sales volume and an optimized product mix.
- Surge in Deliveries: January deliveries soared by 96%, primarily due to strong demand for the ES8 model, indicating NIO's competitive edge and potential for sustainable financial growth in the EV market.
- Strong Market Expectations: Projected revenue for Q4 2025 is $4.77 billion, a significant increase from $2.70 billion year-over-year, validating NIO's turnaround strategy and its ability to capitalize on the growing demand for electric vehicles.
- Divergent Analyst Ratings: Despite a hold rating and price targets ranging from $6.50 to $8.60, the market remains cautious about NIO's future performance, reflecting the competitive and unpredictable nature of the electric vehicle sector.
- Delivery Records Broken: Nio set a new monthly delivery record with 48,135 vehicles in December 2025, and fourth-quarter deliveries surged 71% year-over-year, indicating strong market demand and brand strength.
- Margin Improvement: Despite facing a brutal price war in China's automotive market, Nio's gross margin increased by 50.7% year-over-year in Q3, showcasing the company's success in cost control and product value.
- New Models Launching: Nio plans to launch three large SUVs this year, including the flagship ES9, expected to retail near $72,000, which will further enhance the company's margins.
- Future Growth Potential: Nio's management anticipates a compound annual growth rate of 40-50% in deliveries over the next two years, aiming for breakeven in 2026, reflecting strong confidence and strategic positioning for future growth.
- First Profit Expectation: Nio anticipates an adjusted operating profit between 700 million and 1.2 billion yuan for Q4, marking its first-ever quarterly profit, which demonstrates the sustainability of its business model and competitive position in the EV market.
- Significant Delivery Growth: The company delivered 124,807 electric vehicles in Q4 2024, representing a nearly 72% increase year-over-year, likely enabling it to cross the break-even point, thereby boosting investor confidence.
- Stock Price Surge: Following the profit announcement, Nio's American depositary shares rose approximately 7.3%, reflecting market optimism about its future performance and potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Enhanced Financial Transparency: By excluding share-based compensation costs from its adjusted profit calculations, Nio provides investors with a clearer basis for comparing quarterly results, thereby improving the transparency and credibility of its financial reporting.
- Quarterly Profit Expectation: Nio anticipates an adjusted profit from operations in Q4 2025 ranging from approximately RMB 700 million to RMB 1.2 billion ($100.89 million), marking the first time the EV maker expects quarterly profitability, reflecting positive outcomes from sales volume growth, vehicle margin optimization, and cost reduction efforts.
- Record Deliveries: In Q4 2025, Nio delivered 124,807 vehicles, representing a 72% year-on-year increase and setting a new quarterly record, which not only boosts market confidence but also lays a foundation for future profitability.
- Analyst Ratings Optimistic: According to Koyfin, 16 out of 26 analysts covering Nio rate it as ‘buy’ or higher, indicating a positive outlook for the company's future performance, with an average price target of $6.64, suggesting over 30% upside potential from current trading levels.
- Investor Sentiment Soars: Following the profit alert, Nio's shares rallied 7% over two consecutive trading days, and on Stocktwits, retail sentiment shifted from ‘bullish’ to ‘extremely bullish’, highlighting strong market interest in Nio's profitability turning point.
- Profit Alert Issued: Nio expects to report an adjusted operating profit of between $100 million and $172 million for Q4 2025, marking its first-ever entry into profitability, which boosts investor confidence and drives a 5.86% increase in stock price to $4.7.
- Strong Sales Growth: The company achieved record monthly EV deliveries in October and December during Q4, indicating sustained market demand that supports the profit alert announcement.
- Surge in Trading Volume: Today's trading volume reached 120.4 million shares, approximately 148% above the three-month average of 48.5 million shares, reflecting heightened investor interest in Nio's future profitability potential.
- Outstanding Market Performance: Amid a broader market decline, Nio's relative performance stands out, particularly as competitors like Tesla and Rivian see their stock prices drop, showcasing Nio's competitive strength in the EV market.
- Profit Alert: Nio anticipates achieving its first-ever adjusted operating profit in Q4 2025, with an impressive range of $100 million to $172 million, indicating a significant enhancement in profitability excluding share-based compensation expenses.
- Stock Reaction: Following the profit alert, Nio's stock surged over 10%, remaining up 10% as of 2:14 p.m. ET, reflecting market optimism regarding the company's future profitability potential.
- Sales Growth: Nio's deliveries soared, with December reaching a record 48,135 units, and January saw a 96% increase compared to January 2025, suggesting the company may have turned a corner towards sustainable profitability.
- Analyst Expectations: Analyst ratings and price targets for Nio are likely to be upgraded, as the company cited product mix optimization and ongoing cost reduction efforts that will further enhance profitability and boost investor confidence.











