Elon Musk says Optimus will be better than best human surgeons in three years Your support helps us to tell the story Read more Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more The article below is an excerpt from the DriveSmart newsletter by EV editor Steve Fowler. To get the latest from Steve delivered straight to your inbox, simply enter your email address in the box above. New car sales stats don’t make happy reading for Tesla right now. Here in the UK, January saw a 50 per cent drop in sales numbers, following a nearly ten per cent decline across the whole of 2025. That year-long drop was mirrored across much of the rest of the world, too. Last year, Tesla pointed to the changeover in Model Ys, from the old model to the new; that always causes a drop in production and, therefore, deliveries, as factories switch from one model to the other. But January? Tesla will, no doubt, have a reason up its sleeve – whether that’s problems with deliveries from the factory (although all UK Teslas are built in Germany these days) or something else – but a 50 per cent drop is not a good look. Back at base, Elon Musk has announced that Tesla will no longer make its first flagship Model S and Model X cars – built at the company’s original factory in Fremont, California. That plant will apparently now focus on Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots, with a million of them set to walk out of the factory each year. Meanwhile, Musk is pressing on with his vision for autonomous vehicles, including the Cybercab, and continual tech updates to existing and future Model Y and Model 3 cars. Tesla’s Semi truck is still on the way, and its battery production business is growing at pace. A Tesla Optimus robot scoops popcorn and waves at attendees during the opening of the Tesla Diner and Drive-In restaurant and Supercharger on Santa Monica Blvd in the Hollywood neighborhood Los Angeles, California on July 21, 2025 (AFP/Getty) So perhaps the question is not whether the Tesla bubble has burst, but whether this is the start of Tesla pivoting away from cars. When I first met Musk, he told me that his ultimate goal was to put humans on Mars – I’m sure that hasn’t changed. The fact remains, though, that the latest Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are among the very best electric cars you can buy right now. They’re built well, they drive well, they’re super-efficient, well priced, and the tech is superb. Then there’s the Supercharging network and the seamless way Teslas integrate with it – still, in my book, a major selling point. Musk’s musings on all things political are undoubtedly having an effect too, which is a shame, as Tesla is more than just one man and the cars are so good. But the competition is hotter than ever, with headline-grabbing range and charging speeds from cars like the BMW iX3 and Volvo EX60, while every brand is producing more affordable EVs that go further and offer different tech advantages. Tesla is not going anywhere anytime soon – that’s for sure. Maybe this is just the brand finding its natural place in an ever-evolving car market. But having known the company and the man behind it for some time, I’m excited for what comes next from Tesla, whether it’s cars, tech, robots, or a trip to Mars. Sign up for the DriveSmart newsletter To get the latest motoring insights from EV editor Steve Fowler delivered straight to your inbox, simply enter your email address in the box at the top of this page. Each edition of DriveSmart offers clear, expert guidance on the fast-moving world of electric vehicles and modern motoring, from trusted reviews and practical tips to the biggest industry news of the week.