Challenges are piling up for the electric-vehicle maker and CEO Elon Musk, but the company’s legion of individual investors are staying put.

Tesla stock edged into the red Thursday, one day after gaining 5% following the company’s second-quarter delivery report. Shares of Tesla were up most of the shortened pre-July 4 holiday trading session,

Wednesday, after the electric-vehicle giant allayed investor fears by reporting second-quarter deliveries that were pretty close to expectations. Tomi Kilgore is MarketWatch's deputy investing and corporate news editor and is based in New York.

Tesla shares rose 3% shortly after markets opened Wednesday even though the electric vehicle maker reported worse-than-expected second-quarter deliveries and production figures.

Tesla reported around 384,000 vehicle deliveries in the second quarter, a 14 percent decline from a year ago, and the second straight quarterly drop. CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin discusses.

Tesla second-quarter sales slid more than 13%, but saw stronger-than-expected demand for Models 3 and Y vehicles.