Tesla’s stock experienced an increase on Monday, driven by Elon Musk’s continued focus on the potential value of the company’s humanoid robots.
Musk announced on X that Tesla plans to have genuinely useful humanoid robots in limited production for internal use by next year and aims for high production for other companies by 2026. At Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk stated that the Optimus robots would enter limited production in 2025, projecting that over 1,000 units would be operational at Tesla by the end of that year. Currently, two robots are already present on the factory floor, although their specific functions have not been disclosed.
Musk has suggested that the introduction of these robots could potentially add $20 trillion to Tesla’s market value, despite the fact that they are not expected to be available for sale until the end of 2025, with price estimates ranging from $20,000 to $30,000.
However, questions remain about the practicality of these robots, as previous product demonstrations have raised skepticism. For instance, a video released in May showing an Optimus robot folding a shirt was criticized for allegedly being controlled by an off-screen individual. Tesla has previously faced similar scrutiny; the debut of its Optimus project in 2021 included a presentation featuring a dancer in a robot suit.
MKM analyst Craig Irwin remarked on Yahoo Finance that achieving a functioning humanoid robot by 2025 seems unrealistic, especially considering Tesla’s struggle to innovate compared to competitors like Boston Dynamics.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Honda and Apptronik in the humanoid robot sector. Chinese companies Dongfeng Motor and Nio are experimenting with humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics on their production lines, while BMW has been integrating humanoid robots from Figure at its facilities since late January.
Following Musk’s statements, Tesla’s stock rose by over 3% on Monday, although shares have remained relatively stable year-to-date after a significant rebound in the past two months. The company is set to announce its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is anticipated to provide updates on the delayed rollout of its robotaxi.