Tesla is toast. And, is still being investigated in multiple investigations, including falsely reporting production data, and employee accidents. There are now a couple of dozen real car makers, who actually no how to make cars, that are making electric vehicles and no how to sell them, who are able to put an actual vehicles, on lots, where you can see feel compare and shop, that allow people to drive their new electric car right off the lot. As opposed to the "brilliant" and "innovative" Tesla marketing and sales "strategy", where folks have to "wait" a year, (or three), after being required to plunk down a big deposit, that when they get tired of waiting, and many that apparently can't seem to get the deposit back without waiting for months.

No this not all that impressive tiny tunnel. It really shows no technological breakthrough of any kind that anyone has shown me. He keeps promising more and more tunnels, to everyone who will listen, and all of the politicians and all of the media are awed by his celebrity, do and give glowing endorsements and reports. As of now, he's bored a mile of really tiny tunnel (by today's tunnel boring standards), and taken a video of it, and speeded the video up to make it look like it going "really fast" and done another press release on how the "future" has "arrived", all thanks to him.

No, "the boring company" test tunnel, as yet, is not public transit, nor is it private transportation, either, And, we have no real evidence of if it ever will be a viable transportation investment of any kind, (especially for the gullible politicians in Chicago). This is because we've seen no "operating" concept nor any "business" case presented, nor any real demand analysis, things that folks advising investors might be able convert into how many folks might want to use it, how much they might be willing to pay, what will be the operating costs, what will be the travel times, and how "profitable" such an enterprise might be. Yes, as of now, this is a giant PR show, with a one mile test tunnel so Elon might be able cut the line getting into the parking lot.

Yes, I think that the truly remarkable progress that Spacex has made in recoverable flight vehicles and the significant government contracts are supplying significant cash flow from one of his relatively successful and innovative ventures. Bringing the cost of heavy lift down through "reusable" space craft is transportation economics 101, we invented the choo-choo for the same reason "more stuffed moved per dollar of transport costs spent", and he and this team have made real progress on that.

Yes, I think that there has been great profitability from the battery venture, which, with massive increases in off the grid solar, which was "an accident" in needing a more reliable battery for the Tesla. This may be his most profitable success, from the whole Tesla saga.

Unlike many narcissist's, I think Elon is a really smart guy, who's done some really remarkable things. Unfortunately, his brilliance (and good luck) have given him a dangerous penchant for "doubling down" when he feels under pressure or challenged. In Tesla's case, with other investor's money, who've now been burned badly by investing in Tesla. And, unfortunately, his ego, his need to overreact and blurt out stupid tweets, and his "PR" approach to "glossing over" (and/or possibly lying about) Tesla's performance, in a publicly traded company, to investors, may be his financial and legal comeuppance.

I've found plenty of examples in history and business, where the ability to let go, and follow the numbers, or just listen to your lawyers and learn to STFU, and "cut your losses", is and has been real difficult for the kind of people who put so much of their identity into a product, belief, or the public image that they've created.

I still don't know if Elon will use tracks in his tunnel, or some other "sexier" but likely more expensive technology to magically "levitate" whatever will go through Elon's tunnels, nor do I know if UP held that car of Tesla's in Utah, a few months back, until the bill was paid, nor how many were loaded out by rail this week, which would be involve the more mundane aspects tracks or trains.