What's Driving Tesla's Infrastructure Expansion in Japan?

Tesla, Inc. TSLA is preparing a significant expansion of its infrastructure in Japan, with plans to double its service center network to better serve a growing number of customers, per Nikkei. This reflects a renewed effort by the U.S. automaker to gain a stronger foothold in a market long dominated by local brands.

The company is focusing on enhancing after-sales services and expanding its Supercharger network nationwide. Strengthening this infrastructure is key to persuading more Japanese consumers to switch to EVs.

A large portion of Tesla’s components is sourced from Japan. Panasonic has served as its most important strategic supplier for nearly two decades, per Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk. The partnership remains crucial, particularly for battery cell production. In addition, Tesla has been rapidly deploying V4 Superchargers in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka to enable faster charging for newer Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

Although Japan has been slower to adopt EVs compared to countries like Norway and China, the addition of more service centers is expected to ease concerns about long-distance travel. Tesla aims to create a fully integrated ecosystem similar to what it has achieved in North America, making maintenance and fast charging as convenient as refueling at traditional gas stations.

By establishing its own service centers, often located near existing dealerships, Tesla intends to improve after-sales support, including inspections, repairs and bodywork. To accelerate expansion while controlling costs, the company is also utilizing turnkey properties that were previously maintenance facilities.

Tesla’s presence in Japan has grown significantly. Sales rose 90% year over year in 2025 to around 10,600 vehicles, up from 5,900 in 2022. This surge is driven by a shift from online-only sales to physical, limited-time discounts that made its vehicles more accessible and partnerships with local auto service providers, which added over 50 additional service points in areas without dedicated Tesla outlets. TSLA stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

TSLA’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Tesla has underperformed the Zacks Automotive-Domestic industry and its peers, General Motors Company GM and Ford Motor Company F, in the past six months. Its shares have lost 11.3% compared with the industry’s decline of 5.6%. Ford has declined 7.8%, while General Motors has gained 24.8% during the same period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

 
From a valuation perspective, TSLA appears overvalued. Going by its price/sales ratio, the company is trading at a forward sales multiple of 13.52, higher than the industry’s 3.2. General Motors is trading at 0.36, while Ford is trading at 0.27.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

 
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tesla’s 2026 and 2027 EPS has moved up a penny and 2 cents, respectively, in the past 30 days. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here

The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

Source Zacks-com