With its first full calendar year of profitability in the bag, Tesla is eyeing further growth through new model updates, new factories and possibly new sectors such as vans and trucks. Robotaxis also remain firmly on the agenda, with perhaps the most bullish timeline put forward of late.

The company reported its fourth quarter (Q4) 2020 financial results on 27 January, and while earnings of US$0.80 per share (EPS) were about US$0.20 lower than expected, revenue growth was strong—up 45% year-over-year. It is worth noting that based on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), an industry standard when reporting financial results, EPS were US$0.24 in Q4, down from US$0.27 in Q3. Automotive gross margin—gross profit divided by total sales—was 24.1%, down from 27.7% in Q3.

“The blip in the margin is a reminder that…