Still, during Tesla's fourth-quarter earnings call on the evening of January 29, he sent a characteristically blunt message to those who doubted him along the way. "Very few people understand the value of self-driving and [Tesla's] ability to monetize the fleet.

Key Takeaways Elon Musk and other Tesla executives on Wednesday discussed self-driving software and the Optimus robot, among other topics. The call followed a disappointing quarterly report, with revenue and adjusted profits falling short of estimates.

The Detroit carmaker is creating a domestic supply base to make EVs cheaper and profitable aided by Kurt Kelty, who landed Tesla’s top battery supplier in its early days.

Tesla shares have become a vehicle for investors to wager on Musk himself, rather than the company. That has advantages, but also poses risks.