Elon Musk last night did what he does best — put on a show. Why it matters: The Tesla CEO needed to sell a flashy story about the company's future amid declining present-day demand for its EVs — but in the eyes of most investors after the literal smoke cleared,

Along with the robotaxi, Tesla is expected to provide updates on its humanoid Optimus robot — after all the event is titled “We, Robot,” a reference to Isaac Asimov’s seminal work I, Robot . Tesla might also show one of its mystery vehicles — a van or a cheaper car that could compete with China’s growing affordable EV market.

For a businessman who perpetually struggles with broken promises, Elon Musk gave himself quite a to-do list Thursday night at Tesla's long-awaited Hollywood unveiling of its driverless robotaxis.