# Tesla Inc.: 10-K Risk Factor Changes 2026 vs 2025 > Source: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR) > Generated: 2026-05-05 > All data extracted directly from official filings. No hallucinated content. > **[AI-Generated Summary]** The paragraph below was produced by a language > model and may contain errors. All other content on this page is deterministically > extracted from the original SEC filing. > Tesla added two significant new risks around Optimus (their humanoid robot) and the 2025 CEO compensation plan, reflecting how heavily the company is now betting on these initiatives while acknowledging they could fail or distract from more profitable opportunities. They also removed their ESG risk disclosure and softened language about Elon Musk's stock pledges, suggesting less concern about those issues or perhaps a shift in priorities toward technological ambitions over stakeholder expectations. --- ## Summary | Status | Count | |--------|-------| | New risks added | 2 | | Risks removed | 2 | | Risks modified | 9 | | Unchanged | 29 | --- ## New Risk: Growth of our business is also dependent upon our ability to develop and commercialize Bots, including Optimus, which is in a nascent industry that has yet to develop commercially. 15 15 15 Table of Contents Table of Contents We currently are developing Bots, including Optimus, and intend for these products, as well as accompanying services, to be an important part of our business going forward. While this development requires significant cash investments and management resources, there is no guarantee this business will be successful. We have yet to commercialize Bots and cannot predict how demand for Bots will develop, either from commercial or consumer applications. We also face significant competition from other companies that are designing, developing and building robotics applications. Our success will depend on various factors, including our ability to successfully apply our artificial neural network training experience to autonomous robots, to either source or custom develop the necessary technology and components, and the product's cost-effectiveness, utility and competitive positioning relative to market alternatives. If our Bots program fails to develop as we expect, or progresses more slowly than expected, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed. --- ## New Risk: There is a risk that the technologies and initiatives associated with the 2025 CEO Performance Award, including the product goals, are misaligned with current or future consumer demand, resulting in our failure to invest in or pursue another opportunity that generates significant financial returns or leads to greater shareholder value. If the 2025 CEO Performance Award inadvertently directs our focus and resources toward specific technologies that are misaligned with market preferences, or such preferences evolve unfavorably, or customer demand for these innovations does not materialize as anticipated, we may miss opportunities better aligned with other needs. In particular, the product goals may not be indicative of the types of products or services that would, in the long run, generate financial returns necessary to justify the significant market capitalization goals of the 2025 CEO Performance Award. The product goals were designed to incentivize Elon Musk to devote time and energy to development of these products and services, as these products and services are directionally consistent with Mr. Musk's vision for the future of our company. Our investments in these technologies and initiatives, including those underlying the product goals, frequently involve long development timelines and substantial capital, and there is no assurance that these investments will deliver the expected business, financial or reputational benefits. As a result, misalignment of consumer demand and the technologies and initiatives associated with the 2025 CEO Performance Award, including the product goals, may impair our ability to realize returns on such investments and could lead to strategic misalignment, underperformance or write-downs of related assets, all of which could have a negative impact on our financial performance and stock price. --- ## Removed Risk: We must manage ongoing obligations under our agreement with the Research Foundation for the State University of New York relating to our Gigafactory New York. *This risk factor was present in the 2025 filing and has been removed.* We are party to an operating lease and a research and development agreement through the State University of New York (the "SUNY Foundation"). These agreements provide for the construction and use of our Gigafactory New York, which we have primarily used for the development and production of our Solar Roof and other solar products and components, energy storage components and Supercharger components, and for other lessor-approved functions. Under this agreement, we are obligated to, among other things, meet employment targets as well as specified minimum numbers of personnel in the State of New York and in Buffalo, New York and spend or incur $5.00 billion in combined capital, operational expenses, costs of goods sold and other costs in the State of New York during a period that was initially 10 years beginning April 30, 2018. As of December 31, 2024, we have met and expect to meet the requirements under this arrangement, as may be modified and discussed from time to time, based on our current and anticipated level of operations. While we expect to have and grow significant operations at Gigafactory New York and the surrounding Buffalo area, any failure by us in any year over the course of the term of the agreement to meet all applicable future obligations may result in our incurring financial liabilities in the form of "program payments" which would not be expected to have a material adverse effect to our financial operations, the termination of our lease at Gigafactory New York, and/or the need to adjust certain of our operations. Any of the foregoing events may harm our business, financial condition and operating results. --- ## Removed Risk: Increased scrutiny and changing expectations from stakeholders with respect to the Company's ESG practices may result in additional costs or risks. *This risk factor was present in the 2025 filing and has been removed.* Companies across many industries are facing increasing scrutiny related to their environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. Investor advocacy groups, certain institutional investors, investment funds and other influential investors are also increasingly focused on ESG practices and in recent years have placed increasing importance on the non-financial impacts of their investments. While our mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable 23 23 23 Table of Contents Table of Contents energy, if our ESG practices do not meet investor or other industry stakeholder expectations, which continue to evolve, we may incur additional costs and our brand, ability to attract and retain qualified employees and business may be harmed. Compliance with any current or future legal requirements on these topics may result in additional costs or risks to us, including harm to our reputation, reduction in customer demand, and increased legal and operational risks. --- ## Modified Risk: We may be required to defend or insure against product liability claims. **Key changes:** - Updated: "The automobile industry generally experiences significant product liability claims, and as such we face the risk of such claims in the event our vehicles do not perform or are claimed to not perform as expected." - Updated: "Likewise, as our energy generation and storage products generate and store electricity, they have the potential to fail or cause injury to people or property." **Prior (2025):** The automobile industry generally experiences significant product liability claims, and as such we face the risk of such claims in the event our vehicles do not perform or are claimed to not have performed as expected. As is true for other automakers, our vehicles have been involved and we expect in the future will be involved in accidents resulting in death or personal injury, and such accidents where Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot or FSD (Supervised) features are engaged are the subject of significant public attention, especially in light of NHTSA's Standing General Order requiring reports regarding certain crashes involving vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems. We have experienced, and we expect to continue to face, claims and regulatory scrutiny arising from or related to misuse or claimed failures or alleged misrepresentations of such new technologies that we are pioneering. In addition, the battery packs that we produce make use of lithium-ion cells. On rare occasions, lithium-ion cells can rapidly release the energy they contain by venting smoke and flames in a manner that can ignite nearby materials as well as other lithium-ion cells. While we have designed our battery packs to passively contain any single cell's release of energy without spreading to neighboring cells, there can be no assurance that a field or testing failure of our vehicles or other battery packs that we produce will not occur, in particular due to a high-speed crash. Likewise, as our solar energy systems and energy storage products generate and store electricity, they have the potential to fail or cause injury to people or property. Any product liability claim may subject us to lawsuits and substantial monetary damages, product recalls or redesign efforts, and even a meritless claim may require us to defend it, all of which may generate negative publicity and be expensive and time-consuming. In most jurisdictions, we generally self-insure against the risk of product liability claims for vehicle exposure, meaning that any product liability claims will likely have to be paid from company funds and not by insurance. **Current (2026):** The automobile industry generally experiences significant product liability claims, and as such we face the risk of such claims in the event our vehicles do not perform or are claimed to not perform as expected. As is true for other automakers, our vehicles have been involved and we expect in the future will be involved in collisions resulting in death or personal injury. Such collisions, whether involving Robotaxi vehicles or customer vehicles with driver assistance features engaged, are often subject of significant public attention, especially in light of NHTSA's Standing General Order requiring reports regarding certain crashes involving vehicles with advanced driver assistance or autonomous driving systems. We have experienced, and we expect to continue to face, claims and regulatory scrutiny arising from or related to misuse or claimed failures or alleged misrepresentations of the technologies that we are pioneering. An unfavorable outcome in some or all of these proceedings could have a material adverse impact on results of operations or cash flows for a particular period. Our view of these matters is subject to inherent uncertainties and may change in the future. In addition, the battery packs that we produce make use of lithium-ion cells. On rare occasions, lithium-ion cells can rapidly release the energy they contain by venting smoke and flames in a manner that can ignite nearby materials as well as other lithium-ion cells. While we have designed our battery packs to passively contain any single cell's release of energy without spreading to neighboring cells, there can be no assurance that a field or testing failure of our vehicles or other battery packs that we produce will not occur, in particular due to a high-speed crash. Likewise, as our energy generation and storage products generate and store electricity, they have the potential to fail or cause injury to people or property. Any product liability claim may subject us to lawsuits and substantial monetary damages, product recalls or redesign efforts, and even a meritless claim may require us to defend it, all of which may generate negative publicity and be expensive and time-consuming. In most jurisdictions, we generally self-insure against the risk of product liability claims for vehicle exposure, meaning that any product liability claims will likely have to be paid from company funds and not by insurance. --- ## Modified Risk: We are subject to evolving laws and regulations that could impose substantial costs, legal prohibitions or unfavorable changes upon our operations or products. **Key changes:** - Updated: "Our business operations are and will continue to be subject to complex environmental, occupational, health and safety laws and regulations at numerous jurisdictional levels in the U.S., China, Germany and other locations abroad, including laws relating to the use, handling, storage, recycling, disposal and/or human exposure to hazardous materials, product material inputs and post-consumer products and with respect to constructing, expanding and maintaining our facilities and other infrastructure." - Updated: "For example, in countries outside of the U.S., we are required to meet standards relating to vehicle safety, fuel economy and emissions that are often materially different from equivalent requirements in the U.S., thus resulting in additional investment into the vehicles and systems to aim to ensure regulatory compliance in all countries." **Prior (2025):** Our business operations are and will continue to be subject to complex environmental, occupational, health and safety laws and regulations at numerous jurisdictional levels in the U.S., China, Germany and other locations abroad, including laws relating to the use, handling, storage, recycling, disposal and/or human exposure to hazardous materials, 24 24 24 Table of Contents Table of Contents product material inputs and post-consumer products and with respect to constructing, expanding and maintaining our facilities. New, or changes in, environmental and climate change laws, regulations or rules could also lead to increased costs of compliance, including remediations of any discovered issues, and changes to our operations, which may be significant, and any failures to comply could result in significant expenses, delays or fines. In addition, as we have increased our operations, we are and may continue to be subject to increased scrutiny, including litigation and government investigations, that we will need to defend against. If we are unable to successfully defend ourselves in such litigation or government investigations, it may harm our brand, ability to attract and retain qualified employees, business and financial condition. We are also subject to laws and regulations applicable to the supply, manufacture, import, sale, service and performance of our products both domestically and abroad. For example, in countries outside of the U.S., we are required to meet standards relating to vehicle safety, fuel economy and emissions that are often materially different from equivalent requirements in the U.S., thus resulting in additional investment into the vehicles and systems to ensure regulatory compliance in all countries. This process may include official review and certification of our vehicles by foreign regulatory agencies prior to market entry, as well as compliance with foreign reporting and recall management systems requirements. In particular, we offer in our vehicles in certain markets Autopilot and FSD (Supervised) features that today assist drivers with certain tedious and potentially dangerous aspects of road travel, but which currently require drivers to remain fully engaged in the driving operation. We are continuing to develop our Autopilot and FSD (Supervised) technology. There are a variety of international, federal and state regulations that may apply to, and may adversely affect, the design and performance, sale, marketing, registration and operation of Autopilot and FSD (Supervised), and future capability, including autonomous vehicles that may not be operated by a human driver. This includes many existing vehicle standards that were not originally intended to apply to vehicles that may not be operated by a human driver. Such regulations, including their enforcement or the enforcement policy associated with the regulations, continue to rapidly change, which increases the likelihood of a patchwork of complex or conflicting regulations, or may delay, restrict or prohibit the availability of certain functionalities and vehicle designs, which could adversely affect our business. Finally, as a manufacturer, installer and service provider with respect to solar generation and energy storage systems, a supplier of electricity generated and stored by certain of the solar energy and energy storage systems we install for customers, and a provider of grid services through virtual power plant models, we are impacted by federal, state and local regulations and policies concerning the import or export of components, electricity pricing, the interconnection of electricity generation and storage equipment with the electrical grid and the sale of electricity generated by third party-owned systems. If regulations and policies are introduced that adversely impact the import or export of components, or the interconnection, maintenance or use of our solar and energy storage systems, they could deter potential customers from purchasing our solar and energy storage products and services, threaten the economics of our existing contracts and cause us to cease solar and energy storage system sales and services in the relevant jurisdictions, which may harm our business, financial condition and operating results. **Current (2026):** Our business operations are and will continue to be subject to complex environmental, occupational, health and safety laws and regulations at numerous jurisdictional levels in the U.S., China, Germany and other locations abroad, including laws relating to the use, handling, storage, recycling, disposal and/or human exposure to hazardous materials, product material inputs and post-consumer products and with respect to constructing, expanding and maintaining our facilities and other infrastructure. New, or changes in, environmental and climate change laws, regulations or rules could also lead to increased costs of compliance, including remediations of any discovered issues, and changes to our operations, which may be significant, and any failures to comply could result in significant expenses, delays or fines. In addition, as we have increased our operations, we are and may continue to be subject to increased scrutiny, including litigation and government investigations, that we will need to defend against. If we are unable to successfully defend ourselves in such litigation or government investigations, it may harm our brand, ability to attract and retain qualified employees, business and financial condition. We are also subject to laws and regulations applicable to the supply, manufacture, import, sale, service and performance of our products both domestically and abroad. For example, in countries outside of the U.S., we are required to meet standards relating to vehicle safety, fuel economy and emissions that are often materially different from equivalent requirements in the U.S., thus resulting in additional investment into the vehicles and systems to aim to ensure regulatory compliance in all countries. This process may include official review and certification of our vehicles by 23 23 23 Table of Contents Table of Contents foreign regulatory agencies prior to market entry, as well as compliance with foreign reporting and recall management systems requirements. In particular, we offer in our customer vehicles in certain markets driver assistance features that today assist drivers with certain tedious and potentially dangerous aspects of road travel, but which currently require drivers to remain fully engaged in the driving operation. We also launched our autonomous ride-hailing service in 2025. There are a variety of international, federal and state regulations that may apply to, and may adversely inhibit, the design and capabilities, sale, marketing, registration and operation of driver assistance features, future autonomous capability on customer vehicles, as well as our Robotaxi business. This includes many existing vehicle standards that were drafted assuming the presence of a human driver. Such regulations, including their enforcement or the enforcement policy associated with the regulations, continue to rapidly change, which increases the likelihood of a patchwork of complex or conflicting regulations, or may delay, restrict or prohibit the availability of certain functionalities and vehicle designs, or affect the pace at which we expand our Robotaxi business, which could adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results. Finally, as a manufacturer, installer and service provider with respect to energy generation and storage systems, a supplier of electricity generated and stored by certain of the energy generation and storage systems we install for customers, and a provider of grid services through virtual power plant models, we are impacted by federal, state and local regulations and policies concerning the import or export of components, electricity pricing, the interconnection of electricity generation and storage equipment with the electrical grid and the sale of electricity generated by third party-owned systems. If regulations and policies are introduced that adversely impact the import or export of components, or the interconnection, maintenance or use of our solar and energy storage systems, they could deter potential customers from purchasing our solar and energy storage products and services, threaten the economics of our existing contracts and cause us to cease solar and energy storage system sales and services in the relevant jurisdictions, which may harm our business, financial condition and operating results. --- ## Modified Risk: If Elon Musk were forced to sell shares of our common stock, either that he has the ability to pledge to secure certain personal loan obligations, or in satisfaction of other obligations, such sales could cause our stock price to decline. **Key changes:** - Updated: "Certain banking institutions have in the past made extensions of credit to Elon Musk, our Chief Executive Officer that were secured by pledges of our common stock." - Removed: "Any such sales could cause the price of our common stock to decline further." - Added: "Musk may also sell a portion of his shares in order to satisfy tax obligations relating to the 2018 CEO Performance Award." - Added: "Any such sales could cause the price of our common stock to decline." **Prior (2025):** Certain banking institutions have made extensions of credit to Elon Musk, our Chief Executive Officer, a portion of which was used to purchase shares of common stock in certain of our public offerings and private placements at the same prices offered to third-party participants in such offerings and placements. We are not a party to these loans, which are partially secured by pledges of a portion of the Tesla common stock currently owned by Mr. Musk. If the price of our common stock were to decline substantially, Mr. Musk may be forced by one or more of the banking institutions to sell shares of Tesla common stock to satisfy his loan obligations if he could not do so through other means. Any such sales could cause the price of our common stock to decline further. Further, Mr. Musk from time to time may commit to investing in significant business or other ventures, and as a result, be required to sell shares of our common stock in satisfaction of such commitments. **Current (2026):** Certain banking institutions have in the past made extensions of credit to Elon Musk, our Chief Executive Officer that were secured by pledges of our common stock. If Mr. Musk were to choose to partially secure any loans with pledges of Tesla common stock that he owns, and the price of our common stock were to decline substantially, Mr. Musk may be forced by one or more of the banking institutions to sell shares of Tesla common stock to satisfy his loan obligations if he could not do so through other means. Further, Mr. Musk from time to time may commit to investing in significant business or other ventures, and as a result, be required to sell shares of our common stock in satisfaction of such commitments. Mr. Musk may also sell a portion of his shares in order to satisfy tax obligations relating to the 2018 CEO Performance Award. Any such sales could cause the price of our common stock to decline. --- ## Modified Risk: We may be negatively impacted by any early obsolescence of our manufacturing and other equipment. **Key changes:** - Updated: "We depreciate the cost of our manufacturing and other equipment over their expected useful lives." - Updated: "Alternatively, as we ramp and mature the production of our products and services to higher levels, we may discontinue the use of already installed equipment in favor of different or additional equipment." **Prior (2025):** We depreciate the cost of our manufacturing equipment over their expected useful lives. However, product cycles or manufacturing technology may change periodically, and we may decide to update our products or manufacturing processes more quickly than expected. Moreover, improvements in engineering and manufacturing expertise and efficiency may result in our ability to manufacture our products using less of our currently installed equipment. Alternatively, as we ramp and mature the production of our products to higher levels, we may discontinue the use of already installed equipment in favor of different or additional equipment. The useful life of any equipment that would be retired early as a result would be shortened, causing the depreciation on such equipment to be accelerated, and our results of operations may be harmed. **Current (2026):** We depreciate the cost of our manufacturing and other equipment over their expected useful lives. However, product cycles or technology may change periodically, and we may decide to update our products or processes more quickly than expected. Moreover, improvements in engineering and manufacturing expertise and efficiency may result in our ability to manufacture our products using less of our currently installed equipment. Alternatively, as we ramp and mature the production of our products and services to higher levels, we may discontinue the use of already installed equipment in favor of different or additional equipment. The useful life of any equipment that would be retired early as a result would be shortened, causing such depreciation to be accelerated, and our results of operations may be harmed. --- ## Modified Risk: Our operations could be adversely affected by events outside of our control, such as natural disasters, wars or health epidemics. **Key changes:** - Updated: "We may be impacted by natural disasters, wars and other geopolitical conflicts, health epidemics, weather conditions, the long-term effects of climate change, power outages or other events outside of our control." - Updated: "If 22 22 22 Table of Contents Table of Contents major disasters such as earthquakes, floods or other climate-related events occur, geopolitical conflicts impact our ability to access certain facilities or supply chain, or our information system or communication breaks down or operates improperly, our headquarters and production facilities may be seriously damaged, or we may have to stop or delay production and shipment of our products." **Prior (2025):** We may be impacted by natural disasters, wars, health epidemics, weather conditions, the long-term effects of climate change, power outages or other events outside of our control. For example, our Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Nevada are located in seismically active regions in Northern California and Nevada, and our Gigafactory Shanghai is located in a flood-prone area. Moreover, the area in which our Gigafactory Texas is located experienced severe winter storms in the first quarter of 2021 that had a widespread impact on utilities and transportation. If major disasters such as earthquakes, floods or other climate-related events occur, or our information system or communication breaks down or operates improperly, our headquarters and production facilities may be seriously damaged, or we may have to stop or delay production and shipment of our products. Also, the broader consequences in the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which may include further embargoes, regional instability and geopolitical shifts; airspace bans relating to certain routes, or strategic decisions to alter certain routes; and potential retaliatory action by the Russian government against companies, and the extent of the conflict on our business and operating results cannot be predicted. We may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of our control, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. **Current (2026):** We may be impacted by natural disasters, wars and other geopolitical conflicts, health epidemics, weather conditions, the long-term effects of climate change, power outages or other events outside of our control. For example, our Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Nevada are located in seismically active regions in Northern California and Nevada, and our Gigafactory Shanghai is located in a flood-prone area. Moreover, the area in which our Gigafactory Texas is located experienced severe winter storms in the first quarter of 2021 that had a widespread impact on utilities and transportation. If 22 22 22 Table of Contents Table of Contents major disasters such as earthquakes, floods or other climate-related events occur, geopolitical conflicts impact our ability to access certain facilities or supply chain, or our information system or communication breaks down or operates improperly, our headquarters and production facilities may be seriously damaged, or we may have to stop or delay production and shipment of our products. We may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of our control, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. --- ## Modified Risk: Demand for our products and services may be impacted by the status of government and economic incentives supporting the development and adoption of such products. **Key changes:** - Added: "Specifically, recent governmental and regulatory actions have repealed and/or restricted consumer, manufacturing and charging infrastructure tax credits, and certain regulatory credit programs tied to our products." - Added: "These, and any similar actions in the future, may affect demand for our vehicles, and harm our growth, prospects and operating results, and the loss of previously available tax credits and carbon offset mechanisms may further negatively impact our financial results." - Updated: "For example, provisions of the OBBBA could affect battery cell expenses and impact costs for our consumers, negatively impacting demand." - Removed: "Finally, we and our fund investors claim these U.S." - Removed: "federal tax credits and certain state incentives in amounts based on independently appraised fair market values of our solar and energy storage systems." **Prior (2025):** Government and economic incentives that support the development and adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. and abroad, including certain tax exemptions, tax credits and rebates, may be reduced, eliminated, amended or exhausted from time to time. For example, previously available incentives favoring electric vehicles in certain areas have expired or were cancelled or temporarily unavailable, and in some cases were not eventually replaced or reinstituted, which may have negatively impacted sales. In addition, certain government and economic incentives may also be implemented or amended to provide benefits to manufacturers who assemble domestically, have local suppliers or have other characteristics that may not apply to Tesla. Such developments could negatively impact demand for our vehicles, and we and our customers may have to adjust to them, including through pricing modifications. In addition, certain governmental rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives that are currently available with respect to our solar and energy storage product businesses allow us to lower our costs and encourage customers to buy our products and investors to invest in our solar financing funds. However, these incentives may expire when the allocated funding is exhausted, reduced or terminated as renewable energy adoption rates increase, sometimes without warning. Likewise, in jurisdictions where net metering is currently available, our customers receive bill credits from utilities for energy that their solar energy systems generate and export to the grid in excess of the electric load they use. The benefit available under net metering has been or has been proposed to be reduced, altered or eliminated in several jurisdictions, and has also been contested and may continue to be contested before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Any reductions or terminations of such incentives may harm our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results by making our products less competitive for customers, increasing our cost of capital and adversely impacting our ability to attract investment partners and to form new financing funds for our solar and energy storage assets. Finally, we and our fund investors claim these U.S. federal tax credits and certain state incentives in amounts based on independently appraised fair market values of our solar and energy storage systems. Some governmental authorities have audited such values and in certain cases have determined that these values should be lower, and they may do so again in the future. Such determinations may result in adverse tax consequences and/or our obligation to make indemnification or other payments to our funds or fund investors. **Current (2026):** Government and economic incentives that support the development and adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. and abroad, including certain tax exemptions, tax credits and rebates, may be reduced, eliminated, amended or exhausted from time to time. For example, previously available incentives favoring electric vehicles in certain areas have expired or were cancelled or temporarily unavailable, and in some cases were not eventually replaced or reinstituted, which may have negatively impacted sales. Specifically, recent governmental and regulatory actions have repealed and/or restricted consumer, manufacturing and charging infrastructure tax credits, and certain regulatory credit programs tied to our products. These, and any similar actions in the future, may affect demand for our vehicles, and harm our growth, prospects and operating results, and the loss of previously available tax credits and carbon offset mechanisms may further negatively impact our financial results. In addition, certain government and economic incentives may also be implemented or amended to provide benefits to manufacturers who assemble domestically, have local suppliers or have other characteristics that may not apply to Tesla. Such developments could negatively impact demand for our vehicles, and we and our customers may have to adjust to them, including through pricing modifications. In addition, certain governmental rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives that are currently available with respect to our solar and energy storage product businesses allow us to lower our costs and encourage customers to buy our products and investors to invest in our solar financing funds. However, these incentives may expire when the allocated funding is exhausted, reduced or terminated as renewable energy adoption rates increase, sometimes without warning. For example, provisions of the OBBBA could affect battery cell expenses and impact costs for our consumers, negatively impacting demand. Compliance with evolving legislation, such as the OBBBA, also requires rigorous traceability of raw materials. If we or our suppliers are unable to provide sufficient documentation to verify the origin of critical minerals, our products may lose eligibility for tax credits and incentives, directly increasing the effective price for our customers and potentially reducing demand. In addition, in jurisdictions where net metering is currently available, our customers receive bill credits from utilities for energy that their energy generation systems generate and export to the grid in excess of the electric load they use. The benefit available under net metering has been or has been proposed to be reduced, altered or eliminated in several jurisdictions, and has also been contested and may continue to be contested before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Any reductions or terminations of such incentives may harm our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results by making our products less competitive for customers, increasing our cost of capital and adversely impacting our ability to attract investment partners and to form new financing funds for our solar and energy storage assets. --- ## Modified Risk: We may experience issues or delays in developing, launching and ramping the production of our products, services and features, or we may be unable to control our manufacturing costs. **Key changes:** - Updated: "We are developing new technologies and services, unique manufacturing processes and design features in our products." - Added: "Similarly, we are also developing Bots for future commercialization, and we may experience delays in launching and ramping the production of this product." - Added: "12 12 12 Table of Contents Table of Contents" **Prior (2025):** We have previously experienced and may in the future experience launch and production ramp delays for new products and features. For example, we encountered unanticipated supplier issues that led to delays during the initial ramp of our first Model X and experienced challenges with a supplier and with ramping full automation for certain of our initial Model 3 manufacturing processes. In addition, we may introduce in the future new or unique manufacturing processes and design features for our products. As we expand our vehicle offerings and global footprint, there is no guarantee that we will be able to successfully and timely introduce and scale such processes or features. 13 13 13 Table of Contents Table of Contents In particular, our future business depends in large part on increasing the production of mass-market vehicles. In order to be successful, we will need to implement, maintain and ramp efficient and cost-effective manufacturing capabilities, processes and supply chains and achieve the design tolerances, high quality and output rates we have planned at our manufacturing facilities in California, Nevada, Texas, China, Germany and any future sites such as Mexico. We will also need to hire, train and compensate skilled employees to operate these facilities. Bottlenecks and other unexpected challenges such as those we experienced in the past may arise during our production ramps, and we must address them promptly while continuing to improve manufacturing processes and reducing costs. If we are not successful in achieving these goals, we could face delays in establishing and/or sustaining our product ramps or be unable to meet our related cost and profitability targets. We have experienced, and may also experience similar future delays in launching and/or ramping production of our energy storage products and Solar Roof; new product versions or variants; new vehicles; and future products, features and services based on artificial intelligence. Likewise, we may encounter delays with the design, construction and regulatory or other approvals necessary to build and bring online future manufacturing facilities and products. In addition, as we continue to develop our artificial intelligence services and products, we may face many additional challenges, including the availability and cost of energy, processing power limitations and the substantial power requirements for our data centers. Any delay or other complication in ramping the production of our current products or the development, manufacture, launch and production ramp of our future products, features and services, or in doing so cost-effectively and with high quality, may harm our brand, business, prospects, financial condition and operating results. **Current (2026):** We are developing new technologies and services, unique manufacturing processes and design features in our products. There is no guarantee we will be able to successfully develop or timely introduce and scale these new products, services and features, or that there will be widespread consumer adoption. We also have previously experienced and may in the future experience launch and production ramp delays. In particular, our future business depends on development of our driver assistance systems and autonomous driving solutions and increasing the production of mass-market vehicles, including Cybercab, our purpose-built Robotaxi product. In order to be successful, we will need to further advance our capabilities in AI, and implement, maintain and ramp efficient and cost-effective manufacturing capabilities, processes and supply chains and achieve the design tolerances, high quality and output rates we have planned at our manufacturing facilities. We will also need to hire, train and compensate skilled employees to operate these facilities. Bottlenecks and other unexpected challenges such as those we experienced in the past may arise during our production ramps, and we must address them promptly while continuing to improve manufacturing processes and reducing costs. If we are not successful in achieving these goals, we could face delays in establishing and/or sustaining our product ramps or be unable to meet our related cost and profitability targets. Similarly, we are also developing Bots for future commercialization, and we may experience delays in launching and ramping the production of this product. We have experienced, and may also experience similar future delays in launching and/or ramping production of our energy storage products and Solar Roof; new product versions or variants; new vehicles; and future products, features and services based on artificial intelligence. Likewise, we may encounter delays with the design, construction and regulatory or other approvals necessary to build and bring online future manufacturing facilities and products. In addition, as we continue to develop our artificial intelligence services and products, we may face many additional challenges, including the availability and cost of energy, processing power limitations and the substantial power requirements for our data centers. Any delay or other complication in ramping the production of our current products or the development, manufacture, launch and production ramp of our future products, features and services, or in doing so cost-effectively and with high quality, may harm our brand, business, prospects, financial condition and operating results. 12 12 12 Table of Contents Table of Contents --- ## Modified Risk: We face risks associated with maintaining and expanding our international operations, including unfavorable and uncertain regulatory, political, economic, tax and labor conditions. **Key changes:** - Updated: "We are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, political uncertainty and social, environmental and economic conditions in numerous jurisdictions, including markets in which we generate significant sales." - Updated: "Further, the United States has recently announced changes to U.S." **Prior (2025):** We are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, political uncertainty and social, environmental and economic conditions in numerous jurisdictions, including markets in which we generate significant sales, over which we have little control and which are inherently unpredictable. Our operations in such jurisdictions, particularly as a company based in the U.S., with additional manufacturing operations in China and Europe, create risks relating to conforming our products to regulatory and safety requirements and charging and other electric infrastructures; organizing local operating entities; establishing, staffing and managing foreign business locations; attracting local customers; navigating foreign government taxes, regulations and permit requirements; enforceability of our contractual rights; trade restrictions, customs regulations, tariffs and price or exchange controls; and preferences in foreign nations for domestically manufactured products. For example, we monitor tax legislation changes on a global basis, including changes arising as a result of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's multi-jurisdictional plan of action to address base erosion and profit shifting. Such conditions may increase our costs, impact our ability to sell our products and require significant management attention, and may harm our business if we are unable to manage them effectively. **Current (2026):** We are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, political uncertainty and social, environmental and economic conditions in numerous jurisdictions, including markets in which we generate significant sales. We have little control over these matters which are inherently unpredictable. Our operations in such jurisdictions, particularly as a company based in the U.S., with additional manufacturing operations in China and Europe, create risks relating to conforming our products to regulatory and safety requirements and charging and other electric infrastructures; organizing local operating entities; establishing, staffing and managing foreign business locations; attracting local customers; navigating U.S. and foreign government taxes, regulations and permit requirements; enforceability of our contractual rights; trade restrictions, customs regulations, tariffs and price or exchange controls; and preferences in foreign nations for domestically manufactured products. For example, we monitor tax legislation changes on a global basis, including changes arising as a result of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's multi-jurisdictional plan of action to address base erosion and profit shifting. Further, the United States has recently announced changes to U.S. trade policy, including increasing tariffs on imports, in many cases significantly, and potentially renegotiating or terminating existing trade agreements. The exact scope of any such tariffs that will ultimately be implemented is not known at this time, and the impacts on our business and costs of our products is uncertain. Retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries on U.S. exports, further increases in U.S. tariffs, and the uncertainties surrounding domestic and foreign tariffs have impacted the pricing for our products, which could adversely impact demand. We cannot predict whether, and to what extent, there may be changes to international trade agreements, such as those with China, or whether, or to what extent, quotas, duties, additional tariffs, export controls or other restrictions will be changed or imposed by the United States or by other countries. Historically, U.S. special tariff actions have increased our costs for vehicles manufactured in the United States and increased costs for those same vehicles when exported from the United States. Further, as it pertains to electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries for our energy storage products, while the Company has continuously aimed for a strong domestic supply chain, certain parts and components are difficult or impossible to source within the United States. A change on any of these conditions may increase our costs, impact our ability to sell our products and require significant management attention, and may harm our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results if we are unable to manage them effectively. --- ## Modified Risk: Our future growth and success are dependent upon demand for our electric vehicles and adoption of autonomous driving solutions. **Key changes:** - Updated: "If the market for electric vehicles in general and Tesla vehicles in particular does not develop as we expect, develops more slowly than we expect, or if demand for our vehicles decreases in our markets or our vehicles compete with each other, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed." - Added: "Upon launching our Robotaxi service in June 2025, we also entered into the autonomous ride-hailing service market, and have plans to mass produce Cybercab, a purpose-built Robotaxi product." - Added: "As we seek to expand the scope and geographical footprint of this business, our success will be dependent upon various factors, including the acceptance and adoption by consumers of autonomous driving solutions, and Robotaxi as a preferable option, amid growing competition." - Added: "If the uptake rate for autonomous driving solutions does not develop as we expect, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed." **Prior (2025):** Though we continue to see increased interest and adoption of electric vehicles, if the market for electric vehicles in general and Tesla vehicles in particular does not develop as we expect, develops more slowly than we expect, or if demand for our vehicles decreases in our markets or our vehicles compete with each other, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed. In addition, electric vehicles still constitute a small percentage of overall vehicle sales. As a result, the market for our vehicles could be negatively affected by numerous factors, such as: •perceptions about electric vehicle features, quality, safety, performance and cost; •perceptions about the limited range over which electric vehicles may be driven on a single battery charge, and access to charging facilities; •competition, including from other types of alternative fuel vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and high fuel-economy internal combustion engine vehicles; •volatility in the cost of oil, gasoline and energy; •government regulations and economic incentives and conditions; and •concerns about our future viability. The target demographics for our vehicles are highly competitive. Sales of vehicles in the automotive industry tend to be cyclical in many markets, which may expose us to further volatility. We also cannot predict the duration or direction of current global trends or their sustained impact on consumer demand. Ultimately, we continue to monitor macroeconomic conditions to remain flexible and to optimize and evolve our business as appropriate, and attempt to accurately project demand and infrastructure requirements globally and deploy our production, workforce and other resources accordingly. Rising interest rates may lead to consumers to increasingly pull back spending, including on our products, which may harm our demand, business and operating results. If we experience unfavorable global market conditions, or if we cannot or do not maintain operations at a scope that is commensurate with such conditions or are later required to or choose to suspend such operations again, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed. **Current (2026):** If the market for electric vehicles in general and Tesla vehicles in particular does not develop as we expect, develops more slowly than we expect, or if demand for our vehicles decreases in our markets or our vehicles compete with each other, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed. In addition, electric vehicles still constitute a small percentage of overall vehicle sales. As a result, the market for our vehicles could be negatively affected by numerous factors, such as: •perceptions about electric vehicle features, quality, safety, performance and cost; •perceptions about the limited range over which electric vehicles may be driven on a single battery charge, and access to charging facilities; •competition, including from other types of alternative fuel vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and high fuel-economy internal combustion engine vehicles; •volatility in the cost of oil, gasoline and energy; •government regulations and economic incentives and conditions; and •concerns about our future viability. The target demographics for our vehicles are highly competitive. Sales of vehicles in the automotive industry tend to be cyclical in many markets, which may expose us to further volatility. We also cannot predict the duration or direction of current global trends or their sustained impact on consumer demand. Ultimately, we continue to monitor macroeconomic conditions to remain flexible and to optimize and evolve our business as appropriate, and attempt to accurately project demand and infrastructure requirements globally and deploy our production, workforce and other resources accordingly. Rising interest rates may lead to consumers to increasingly pull back spending, including on our products, which may harm our demand, business and operating results. If we experience unfavorable global market conditions, or if we cannot or do not maintain operations at a scope that is commensurate with such conditions or are later required to or choose to suspend such operations again, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed. Upon launching our Robotaxi service in June 2025, we also entered into the autonomous ride-hailing service market, and have plans to mass produce Cybercab, a purpose-built Robotaxi product. As we seek to expand the scope and geographical footprint of this business, our success will be dependent upon various factors, including the acceptance and adoption by consumers of autonomous driving solutions, and Robotaxi as a preferable option, amid growing competition. If the uptake rate for autonomous driving solutions does not develop as we expect, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed. --- *Data sourced from SEC EDGAR. Last updated 2026-05-05.*