Tesla CEO Elon Musk held a surprise all-hands meeting on Thursday night in Texas, where he attempted to rally his company's employees and indirectly, investors, amidst the brand's plummeting public reputation. According to Business Insider, Musk urged employees to "hang on to your stock," which has declined in value by 50% since December.

Musk deflected concerns about the stock drop and reiterated promises that Tesla's autonomous software, used for its vehicles' Full Self-Driving feature, robotaxis, and Optimus bots, would bring the company's value to new heights. "It's so profound and there's no comparison with anything in the past," Musk said, emphasizing the potential of these technologies.

One of the key areas Musk focused on was the Optimus humanoid robot, which he claimed would be produced in large quantities this year. "I think we will literally build a legion, at least one legion of robots this year and then probably 10 legions next year," Musk said, suggesting that Tesla aims to produce around 5,000 Optimus robots in 2025.

The Cybercab robotaxi was another area of emphasis, with Musk promising a "revolutionary manufacturing process" that would enable the production of a robotaxi in "less than five seconds," similar to a high-speed consumer electronics line. This process sounds similar to the "gigacasting" method Tesla was working on but reportedly pulled back on last year. Musk reiterated that people could buy a Cybercab for $30,000 by 2026, as previously announced at Tesla's "We, Robot" event.

The surprise meeting, which usually takes place during the day, may have been prompted by escalating protests and concerns from analysts, such as Wedbush's Dan Ives, who have expressed doubts about Musk's ability to balance his multiple roles. Musk acknowledged his heavy workload, saying, "I have, like, 17 jobs," but did not address concerns about his involvement in politics, including his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Despite the reassurances, Musk's meeting did not address the elephant in the room – his role in Washington, where he has been actively backing the Trump administration. During the Q&A session, employees did not bring up this topic, which has raised eyebrows among critics who accuse Musk of recklessly gutting crucial institutions such as the FTC and USAID.

As Tesla navigates these challenges, Musk's promises of innovation and progress will be closely watched by investors, analysts, and the tech community at large. Whether the company can deliver on these promises and restore its reputation remains to be seen.