Of all the things that electric vehicle giant Tesla (TSLA) has done of late, its connection to robotics might be the most pronounced. Its push to roll out the Optimus line of humanoid robots raises all manner of questions about the future of humanity. But for one Tesla worker, Tesla’s robotics push delivered unexpected consequences, and now, said employee is suing. The report did not sit well with investors, either. Tesla shares slid over 3% in Thursday afternoon’s trading.
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Tesla employee Peter Hinterdobler filed a $51 million lawsuit against Tesla, reports note, after he was injured by one of Tesla’s worker robots back in 2023. Hinterdobler was dismantling a robot when, allegedly, the robot arm lashed out, hitting Hinterdobler not only with its own power but with the counterbalance weight involved, around 8,000 pounds.
Hinterdobler was subsequently treated, but he noted that medical care so far has already run over $1 million, with another $6 million in expenses set to come. Now, he wants $20 million for physical pain, $10 million for emotional distress, $1 million in lost wages, $8 million for lost future earnings, and $5 million for “…past and future loss of household services.”
Tale of the (Register) Tape
Have you ever considered the cost of electricity to power a Tesla? One report recently took a look at just that, and compared it against a Chevy (GM) Silverado. The Tesla came out smelling like a rose in most every case.
Naturally, different Teslas had different charging requirements, and thus prices. But with the Teslas running between $49 and $64 per month, and the Silverado coming in at just over $137 at even its most fuel-efficient, the end result was a clear win for the Tesla.
Is Tesla a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on TSLA stock based on 15 Buys, 12 Holds, and eight Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 74.18% rally in its share price over the past year, the average TSLA price target of $329.77 per share implies 23.13% downside risk.
