Cybercab Chief Exits Ahead of Robo-Taxi Launch; TSLA Stock slips

New York, 27 February 2026: In the American stock market (Wall Street) today, there was a significant decline in Tesla Inc. (TSLA) shares. Investor unease has arisen due to news that a senior executive associated with the company’s robo-taxi project has left the company. On Friday (27 February 2026) morning, Tesla stock fell to $405.45, affecting the company’s market capitalization.

Last Thursday (26 February) TSLA shares closed at $408.58, reflecting a 2.11% decline compared to the previous day. In today’s trading, the shares are fluctuating between $400.90 and $405.52, with changes also seen in volume. The company’s market capitalization is approximately $1.53 trillion.

Departure of the CyberCab chief from the company

Victor Nekita, Vehicle Program Manager of Tesla’s Robo-Taxi or Cybercab project, has announced that he is leaving the company. Nekita had worked at Tesla for nearly six years and played a key role in the development of the Cybercab. He posted on LinkedIn stating that he is returning to the East Coast to start a new chapter. This departure comes immediately after the roll-out of Cybercab’s first production unit (February 17, 2026).

The Cybercab is Tesla’s purpose-built autonomous taxi vehicle, designed without a steering wheel. The company has started production at Giga Texas and plans to ramp up production and expand the robo-taxi service significantly by 2026. Elon Musk has stated that by the end of 2026, the robo-taxi service will be widespread in the United States. However, the departure of executives has begun a series of senior staff exits within the company. The original programme managers for Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, and now Cybercab are no longer with the company.

Opinions of Wall Street analysts and target price

Wall Street analysts are divided on Tesla. According to the average target price of 41 analysts, TSLA could reach $408.09 in 12 months, which is slightly lower than the current price. Some analysts are very optimistic – Dan Ives of Wedbush has a target of $600, while Gordon Johnson of GLJ Research has a very low target of $25.28.

The overall rating is ‘Hold’ – 18 Buy, 14 Hold, and 9 Sell. The company’s P/E ratio is over 378, indicating competition in the EV market, declining earnings, and risks in autonomous technology. By the end of 2025, the stock had reached $498.83, but a decline has started in 2026.

Will Tesla stock give good returns?

Tesla stock can provide good returns in the long term, but the current situation is risky. Robo-taxis and autonomous driving are the company’s future, which makes investors optimistic. However, the departure of key executives, a slowdown in EV sales, and competition (BYD, GM, etc.) could cause short-term volatility. Some analysts believe that the launch of the robo-taxi in 2026 could push the stock to $500-600, while others expect less than $300.

Investors should keep an eye on the company’s earnings reports, robo-taxi progress, and Musk’s announcements. Tesla has always been a high-risk, high-reward stock.

(Source: Based on various economic reports and analyses. This is just for information, not investment advice.)