Tesla Shorts, Gordon Johnson, And James Chanos Express Skepticism On Robotaxi Potential Amid Usage Data Debate: The 'Promise' Worth Much More Than Reality

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Tesla Inc.‘s TSLA robotaxi ambitions face fresh skepticism from prominent market critics, with new data from New York City’s ride-sharing market fueling debate about the technology’s revenue potential.

What Happened: GLJ Research analyst Gordon Johnson argued on social media platform X that Tesla shorts would benefit from robotaxi approval, stating the “promise is worth much, much more than the reality.”

His comments came alongside data shared by veteran short-seller James Chanos, President and Managing Partner, Chanos and Company showing New York City’s daily ride-sharing usage averages 768,000 trips, or roughly three rides per capita monthly.

The skepticism contrasts sharply with bullish forecasts from leading Tesla analysts. Wedbush SecuritiesDan Ives, who maintains a Street-high price target of $515, values Tesla’s autonomous business at $1 trillion and projects robotaxis could capture 20% of ride-shares by 2030.

Gary Black, Managing Partner at The Future Fund LLC, takes a more measured stance with a $380 target. Black recently questioned Tesla owners’ willingness to add their vehicles to a robotaxi fleet, despite potential earnings of $40,000 annually per vehicle based on his calculations of 25 daily trips at $1 per mile.

See Also: Apple’s Near Term Success Will Be Driven By Strong Holiday Season, iPhone 16, Says Dan Ives — Analyst Sees Stock Hitting $300, Cupertino Hitting $4 Trillion Marketcap

Why It Matters: Uber Technologies CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has also expressed doubts about Tesla’s robotaxi strategy, citing challenges in fleet management and customer service that differ significantly from vehicle manufacturing.

Tesla reportedly plans to launch its ride-hail service in Texas and California in 2025, pending regulatory approval. The company is in early talks with Austin authorities for autonomous vehicle testing.

The electric vehicle maker’s stock has gained 71% year-to-date, with Morgan Stanley naming it their top pick for 2025. According to Benzinga Pro, Tesla currently has a consensus price target of $280.41 from 33 analysts, with recent ratings from Baird, Mizuho, and Goldman Sachs averaging $446.67.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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