After a phenomenal 2019, culminating with the unveiling of the new electronic Cybertruck pickup in November, Elon Musk looks to be in pole position to match Tesla's success in 2020. Those lucky enough to invest in Tesla enjoyed rapid growth in the second half of 2019, with shares moving from a three-year low of $177 in June to $420 in December, reflecting the success of some significant new product developments for the luxury hybrid car brand last year.
Tesla has revolutionised the electric car industry in recent years, developing several state-of-the-art vehicles to suit a range of private and commercial uses. With more vehicles on the roads than ever before, and a global climate emergency on our hands, there has never been a more critical time for motorists to swap to electric cars to reduce the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. But with prices still high, many consumers are biding their time before switching their car, in the hope that some more cost-effective options become available.
Tesla is now motoring ahead of the competition in this sphere, and may well be set to corner the market for electric cars. Its new Tesla Model Y offers a more affordable alternative to previous Tesla electric vehicles, yet still carries the prestigious Tesla marque. Although not the cheapest electric car available, the Model Y could prove a more attractive brand compared to other more basic electric crossover models such as the Nissan Leaf.
After several tricky years teetering on bankruptcy, Tesla looks to have stepped up a gear, with shares accelerating past $550 - way beyond analysts' predictions of just over $350. Tesla is now poised to become a mass production car manufacturer, with the capacity to deliver around 500,000 vehicles in 2020, and possibly as many as 1 million by 2022. Such growth predictions indicate shares in Tesla may prove to be an attractive option for investors this year.
Last year saw some great manoeuvres by Tesla, leading to significant growth and increasing value for the company. In addition to the new all-electric Cybertruck launch, Elon Musk also unveiled the new Tesla Roadster, as well as an innovative 'Ludicrous Mode' to improve the performance of the Tesla Model S P85 D, enabling it to reach 60mph in 2.8 seconds.
This year will see the launch of Tesla Semis, large freight trucks with a price tag of around $150,000. The new semi-electric trucks can run up to 500 miles on one single charge. At the moment plans are to develop 'limited volumes' of the new vehicle in North America. Many well-known companies including Pepsi, Walmart, Sysco and FedEx have already put in their orders for the vehicle.
Tesla also has big plans for battery supply partnerships with South Korean firm LG Chem Ltd and China's CATL to supply batteries for its electric car range. It has already got a battery supply partnership with Panasonic Corp in Japan.
The future is looking very rosy indeed for Elon Musk, meaning Tesla shares are going to be one to watch this year. If share growth continues on its current trajectory, investors could be laughing all the way to the bank.
