Tesla's Trillion-Dollar Gamble: What's Next for Musk and the Company?

Tesla shareholders have given the green light to a massive pay package for Elon Musk, potentially worth up to $1 trillion. This isn't just a big payday for Musk; it's a huge bet on Tesla's future. To earn this massive payout, Musk and Tesla have to hit some serious targets. First, the company's market value needs to reach $2 trillion. Then, Tesla has to deliver its 20 millionth vehicle, put a million robotaxis on the road, or sell a million humanoid robots. And that's just the beginning. To unlock the full award, Tesla's market value needs to hit $8. 5 trillion, and the company has to meet all the operational goals. Right now, Tesla's market value is around $1. 4 trillion, and the company has delivered about 8. 5 million vehicles. The robotaxi program is still in testing, and the Optimus robots aren't even for sale yet. So, there's a lot of work ahead. Some critics argue that the pay plan gives Tesla's board too much leeway to award Musk stock even if the company doesn't hit all the product goals. That's a big concern, especially since the board seems unsure about investing in xAI, Musk's artificial intelligence startup. Meanwhile, big investors like Norway's sovereign wealth fund and several public pension funds voted against the package. They're worried about Musk's control over the company and whether he'll stay focused on Tesla. But Musk is optimistic. He sees this pay package as a new chapter for Tesla, a chance to push the company even further. Whether he can deliver on that promise remains to be seen.