What caused Tesla's battery deployments to fall 15% year-over-year in the first quarter, and is there a clear explanation in the article?

The article states that Tesla's first-quarter battery deployments fell 15% year-over-year 'without an obvious reason,' noting that while the battery business is 'lumpy' due to reliance on big projects, analysts have not identified a definitive cause. It suggests possible one-time factors like 'unusually harsh winter weather' causing delays on large Megapack projects, but emphasizes that Tesla did not provide an explanation and 'did not respond to a request for comment.' The article explicitly says the drop was 'unexpected' and that analysts are awaiting clarification on the upcoming earnings call.

How has Tesla's battery business performed overall compared to its car business in recent years, according to the article?

According to the article, Tesla's battery and solar revenue rose from $2.8 billion in 2021 to $12.8 billion last year — a 358% increase — while its core electric car revenue peaked at $82.4 billion in 2023 and fell to $69.5 billion last year amid competition, policy headwinds, and backlash to Elon Musk's politics. The article highlights that battery deployments doubled in 2024 and grew another 49% in 2025 to 46.7 gigawatt-hours, and that analysts view the energy business as 'offsetting a lot of that weakness on the auto side' and helping 'sustain the company overall' during its transition phase.

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