Musk saw his wealth jump by $178 billion in just two days, putting his year-to-date gain at a record-breaking $216 billion as investors cheered Tesla’s driverless taxi tests in Texas, according to

Tesla stock closed at a fresh record high on Tuesday, completing a monthslong rebound from severe losses earlier in the year.

Musk’s remarkable rise is largely due to a recent valuation of SpaceX at about $800 billion, after a tender offer that nearly doubled the company’s worth since August.

"Big Short" investor Michael Burry calls Tesla "ridiculously overvalued" while Elon Musk defends AI robotics as the solution to the debt crisis, spotlighting the two's contrarian views.

The Tesla head has repeatedly boasted that the robotaxi ride-hailing service is scaling imminently. On the Q3 earnings call on Oct. 22, Musk said Tesla plans to have its service operate in eight to 10 major metro areas by the end of 2025. On the Q2 call, Musk had predicted Tesla ride-hailing would cover half the U.S. population.

A video circulating online appeared to show a Tesla Model Y robotaxi with no safety monitor inside driving on Austin streets.

Elon Musk had jokes when Apple started hiring his former engineers—until he needed Apple to buy his company. It was classic Musk: flippant, cutting, and aimed directly at one of the most powerful companies on Earth.