Why do you own Tesla stock?

My Father In Law gave me this advice: Take a little bit of your investments, something small that you can stand to lose, and put it in a couple companies that you like, just to make the investing a little bit fun.

I did that with Tesla a while ago, I'm not sure I'd invest right now. But I'm also not looking to sell right now.

The reason I picked Tesla is that they are way more than just a car company. They are a renewable energy company at a time when we are at an inflection point in renewable energy. I've been downvoted before for saying that, but I don't see Tesla as a car company and that's why I invested and why I think it's a mistake to compare their valuation to other car companies.

Tesla is involved in: Cars, solar panels, solar generation, a huge charger network, batteries, residential energy systems, and industrial energy systems.

Is it all down-side as OP speculated? Only time will tell, of course, some targets are putting it at market cap halving over the next 5-7 years. The most optimistic are putting it at quadrupling. Most estimates seem to think that there's room to go up.

> It's worth more than all the other car companies combined.

That is the thing. Tesla is not a car company. It is much much more than that.

> If you own Tesla stock, what's your rationale?

The rationale is the same as yours, but considering the fact that other people will hype-buy it anyway so the price will climb.

It has nothing (or little) to do with industrial considerations. It's all about Mr. Market.

I had the similar doubts when valuation passed GM and I regret for that now. you will never know what will happen.