Tesla Achieves Wall Street’s Highest Price Target While QuantumScape and CoreWeave Rally on Technology Breakthroughs
Three major electric vehicle and technology stocks experienced notable gains during pre-market trading on September 19, 2025, driven by a convergence of analyst upgrades and breakthrough battery technology developments that captured Wall Street’s attention.
Tesla Reaches New Heights with Record Price Target
Tesla surged over 1% in pre-market trading after Baird analyst Ben Kallo issued the most bullish call on the stock to date. The firm upgraded Tesla from Neutral to Outperform while dramatically raising its price target to $548 from $320, marking a 71% increase that now represents Wall Street’s highest target for the electric vehicle maker.
Kallo’s upgrade centers on Tesla’s emerging position as the “leader in physical AI,” despite the company’s recent three consecutive quarters of below-expectations results. The analyst highlighted the recently proposed pay package for CEO Elon Musk as evidence of ambitious future targets, including delivering 20 million vehicles, reaching 10 million active Full Self-Driving subscriptions, and potentially achieving a market capitalization of $8.5 trillion.
“Relatively muted stock reactions following a series of less than stellar quarters and investor inbounds regarding long-term initiatives lead us to believe focus has increasingly shifted to the future for TSLA,” Kallo noted. Goldman Sachs also raised its third-quarter delivery estimate to 455,000 vehicles from 430,000, exceeding consensus expectations of 439,000 deliveries.
The Goldman Sachs upgrade to $395 from $300 came with increased assumptions for Tesla’s energy business in 2026 and 2027 to reflect recent product and capacity developments. The firm expects Tesla’s earnings to grow long-term from autonomy and robotics contributions, though Goldman’s base case remains more conservative than Tesla’s own targets.
QuantumScape Benefits from Solid-State Battery Momentum
QuantumScape jumped over 3% in pre-market trading following speculation about potential collaboration opportunities after Panasonic Holdings announced its development of anode-free solid-state batteries. The Japanese company’s announcement, which promises to extend Tesla Model Y driving range by nearly 90 miles through a 25% capacity increase, reignited comparisons with QuantumScape’s decade-long focus on similar technology.
The timing of Panasonic’s pivot proved particularly noteworthy given recent industry developments in solid-state battery technology. Panasonic now promises “world-leading” EV capacity by fiscal 2027 through its anode-free design that eliminates the anode during manufacturing.
QuantumScape recently achieved a significant milestone by partnering with PowerCo, Volkswagen’s battery subsidiary, to demonstrate the world’s first live solid-state battery powering an electric vehicle. The September demonstration featured a modified Ducati V21L motorcycle equipped with QSE-5 battery cells, showcasing 844 Wh/L energy density and fast charging capabilities from 10% to 80% in just over 12 minutes.
“Today we’ve crossed the threshold from possibility to reality,” said QuantumScape CEO Siva Sivaram. The company’s stock has gained over 100% year-to-date, reflecting investor enthusiasm for its solid-state battery technology.
CoreWeave Gains Recognition as AI Infrastructure Leader
CoreWeave gained 0.3% to $121.70 in pre-market trading after Loop Capital initiated coverage with a Buy rating and $165 price target, implying roughly 36% upside. The analyst firm described CoreWeave as the largest of the “Neoclouds” being invited into a “Cool Kids Club” by Nvidia, major hyperscalers, and AI labs.
Loop Capital expects “material profitability upside” compared to consensus estimates and anticipates enterprise value to EBITDA multiple expansion. The upgrade follows Raymond James’ recent initiation of coverage with an Outperform rating and $130 price target.
CoreWeave’s momentum has been bolstered by a recent $6.3 billion agreement with Nvidia that provides the chip giant access to “unsold cloud computing capacity”. Under the terms extending through April 13, 2032, Nvidia is obligated to purchase any residual capacity that CoreWeave doesn’t sell to its own customers.
The company has also committed to investing in UK data center infrastructure as part of a $42 billion pledge from major U.S. technology firms. Since its March IPO, CoreWeave has emerged as one of 2025’s most successful public listings, with shares climbing over 211% despite recent volatility following the expiration of the post-IPO lockup period.
Market Implications and Future Outlook
The simultaneous upgrades and technological developments highlight the growing convergence between artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and next-generation energy storage technologies. Tesla’s positioning as a “physical AI” leader reflects Wall Street’s recognition that electric vehicle manufacturers are evolving beyond traditional automotive metrics.
QuantumScape’s solid-state battery progress, combined with Panasonic’s entry into the market, suggests the technology is approaching commercial viability for automotive applications. The ability to achieve faster charging times and higher energy density could address key consumer concerns about electric vehicle adoption.
CoreWeave’s growing relationship with Nvidia underscores the critical infrastructure requirements for AI development and deployment. The $6.3 billion capacity guarantee provides both companies with strategic flexibility while signaling strong confidence in sustained AI infrastructure demand through 2032.
Read also:
