Tesla shares experienced a significant sell-off on Tuesday, closing down 4.14% at $432.96. Investor sentiment was rattled by a major strategic challenge unveiled at CES 2026, where semiconductor leader Nvidia introduced an open-source platform for self-driving technology, directly targeting a core future business for the electric vehicle maker.
A New Challenger Emerges in Autonomous Tech
The platform, named “Alpamayo,” was presented by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as a complete, ready-made solution for legacy automakers. Mercedes-Benz has already announced plans to integrate the system starting in 2026. This move presents a fundamental problem for Tesla, whose market valuation exceeding $1.4 trillion is largely predicated on the future promise of a dominant robotaxi network. A price-to-earnings ratio above 280 is primarily justified by expectations of leadership in autonomous driving technology.
In a late Tuesday post on X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded, stating he does not “lose sleep” over Nvidia’s announcement. He argued that traditional manufacturers remain “5 to 6 years” behind in terms of the necessary hardware integration. This defense failed to reassure the market, with investors concerned that Tesla’s technological edge may erode faster than previously anticipated.
Declining Deliveries Compound Investor Concerns
Market nervousness is being amplified by recent operational figures. Tesla reported deliveries of 418,227 vehicles for the fourth quarter of 2025, representing a 16% decrease compared to the same period last year. For the full year 2025, this translates to approximately 1.64 million units, a decline of 8 to 9 percent. This marks the second consecutive year of falling volumes.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Tesla?
The analyst community is divided in its assessment:
* President Capital reduced its price target from $529 to $517, while maintaining a Buy rating.
* New Street Research raised its target to $600, citing Tesla’s “12-year lead” in autonomy data.
* Insider Selling: Director James Murdoch sold 60,000 shares worth $26.7 million on January 2.
In a related development, Musk’s artificial intelligence firm xAI announced a $20 billion funding round, with Nvidia participating as a strategic investor. This further complicates the interconnections between Musk’s ventures and the chip giant.
All Eyes on the January Earnings Report
The upcoming quarterly report on January 28, 2026, is now viewed as a critical test of Tesla’s strategy in this newly intensified competitive landscape. Shareholders will be looking for concrete updates on the Full Self-Driving roadmap and on profit margins, which are under pressure from the delivery slowdown. From a technical analysis perspective, the stock has fallen below its 50-day moving average. The next support zone is seen between $408 and $415. Without a regulatory breakthrough for fully autonomous driving or positive surprises in the financial results, the psychologically important $400 level could come into view.
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