Austin, TX
Tesla Stock Surges After Successful Robotaxi Launch in Austin, Texas – Tokenist
Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) jumped nearly 10% on Monday following the successful launch of its autonomous robotaxi service in Austin, Texas on Sunday. CEO Elon Musk announced that the service began operations with customers paying a flat fee of $4.20, marking a significant milestone in Tesla’s autonomous driving ambitions.
The launch puts Tesla in direct competition with Alphabet-backed Waymo (NASDAQ: GOOG), which already operates robotaxis in several cities across the United States.
Tesla Launches Robotaxi in Austin, Limited to Select Tesla Users
Tesla initiated its robotaxi service with 10-20 Model Y SUVs operating in a geofenced area of Austin, featuring safety teleoperators and Tesla employees who can intervene if necessary. The launch was limited to select invited Tesla users, with numerous riders on social media reporting successful trips, including one user who claimed to complete 11 separate rides without issues.
The vehicles are emblazoned with “Robotaxi” graphics and offer personalized features like Tesla account synchronization for streaming apps including Netflix, Spotify, and Disney+.
The robotaxi service represents a foundational step in Tesla’s autonomous vehicle strategy, with Wedbush analyst Dan Ives describing the experience as “comfortable, safe, and personalized” after taking two 15-minute test rides.
Ives particularly noted the vehicle’s ability to “masterfully maneuver with patience and safety” through challenging scenarios, including narrow roads with oncoming traffic and parked cars. The analyst maintains an outperform rating with a $500 price target, calling the launch “foundational” for Tesla’s future robotaxi ambitions.
However, scaling challenges remain significant, as competing with industry leader Waymo would require thousands of vehicles operating without safety operators, plus the infrastructure to clean and service the fleet. Barclays analyst Dan Levy cautioned against overoptimism, emphasizing that the path to scaling will be long and challenging, maintaining an equal weight rating with a $275 price target.
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Tesla Shares Gain Over 10%
Tesla shares were trading at $357.43 at the time of writing, gaining $35.27 or 10.95% in Monday trading, significantly outperforming the broader market. The stock opened at $327.52 and reached an intraday high of $357.47, with trading volume of 93.4 million shares compared to the average volume of 125.9 million. Year-to-date, Tesla stock remains down 11.49% despite today’s surge, while over the past year the stock has gained an impressive 95.31%.
The company’s market capitalization now stands at $1.151 trillion, with current valuation metrics showing a trailing P/E ratio of 205.42 and a forward P/E of 166.67. Tesla’s financial fundamentals include revenue of $95.72 billion over the trailing twelve months, with a profit margin of 6.38% and diluted earnings per share of $1.74. The company maintains a strong balance sheet with $37 billion in total cash and relatively low debt-to-equity ratio of 17.41%.
Wall Street analysts remain divided on Tesla’s prospects, with price targets ranging from a low of $115 to a high of $500, averaging $301.97. The robotaxi launch has reinforced bullish sentiment among Tesla supporters, while skeptics continue to question the company’s ability to scale autonomous operations safely and profitably against established competitors like Waymo, which recently reached 10 million trips.
Disclaimer: The author does not hold or have a position in any securities discussed in the article. All stock prices were quoted at the time of writing.
About the author
Tim Fries is the cofounder of The Tokenist. He has a B. Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Tim served as a Senior Associate on the investment team at RW Baird’s US Private Equity division, and is also the co-founder of Protective Technologies Capital, an investment firm specializing in sensing, protection and control solutions.
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.
Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That
When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.
“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”
Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Volts are off to a rough start in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, but maybe a little home cooking can help them get right.
After playing their first five games on the road, the Volts open play at Dell Diamond in Round Rock at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Utah Talons, kicking off an 8-game homestand.
It’s the first season the Volts will call Dell Diamond home. In the league’s inaugural season last year, the original four teams competed with a touring schedule that included a stop at Dell Diamond. This is the first year that the AUSL, now a 6-team league, will play in home markets.
They have a roster peppered with local stars, including 2-time NCAA national champion middle infielder Leighann Goode from the Texas Longhorns. Aliyah Binford, a New Braunfels native, played collegiately for Ole Miss and former Texas State pitcher Jessica Mullins made an appearance in the Volts’ previous series against the Carolina Blaze.
Goode said there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but she credits her teammates for helping her adjust to the league.
“This group has brought me in and taught me stuff, taken me under their wings,” she said. “They’ve done an awesome job.”
Legendary Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is the team’s general manager, and the head coach is Texas State’s Ricci Woodard.
“We’re ready to rock and roll at home,” Woodard said. “I’m anxious to see what happens now that we get to play in our own place.”
Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, joined the team last weekend after a brief contract holdout.
The Volts are 1-4 this season, picking up their lone win over the Oklahoma City Spark on June 10. They’ll face the Talons in a 3-game series, the Chicago Bandits for a pair June 23-24, and finish the homestand with a 3-game set against the expansion Portland Cascade on June 26-28.
Ryan Sanders Baseball, the organization that owns and operates the Round Rock Express, is an operating partner with the Volts and an investor with the AUSL.
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