Tesla’s stock experienced a rise on Monday as Elon Musk continues to highlight the potential of the company’s humanoid robots. Musk stated on X that Tesla aims to introduce practical humanoid robots for internal use with low production levels by next year, and hopes to ramp up to higher production for external companies by 2026.
During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk projected that the company’s Optimus robots would enter limited production in 2025, with more than 1,000 robots operational by year’s end. Currently, two robots are already present on the factory floor, though Tesla has not disclosed their specific tasks.
Musk also suggested that these robots could potentially contribute an additional $20 trillion to Tesla’s market capitalization. The robots are anticipated to start selling by the end of 2025, with prices ranging between $20,000 and $30,000.
However, the effectiveness of these robots remains uncertain. Previous demonstrations have drawn skepticism; in May, Tesla was accused of showing a video of an Optimus robot folding a shirt that was actually controlled by a person off-camera.
Tesla has a history of presenting its robotic innovations in dramatic fashions, such as when it debuted the Optimus project in 2021 featuring a dancer in a robot costume.
Analyst Craig Irwin from MKM remarked on Yahoo Finance that the timeline for a sentient humanoid robot by 2025 seems overly ambitious, especially compared to competitors like Boston Dynamics, which has been recognized for advanced robotics technology.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Honda and Apptronik in Japan, as well as Chinese companies Dongfeng Motor and Nio, which are testing humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics on production lines. BMW has also integrated humanoid robots from Figure into its facilities since January.
Following Musk’s comments, Tesla’s stock rose more than 3% on Monday. Year-to-date, the shares remain approximately stable after a significant recovery over the past two months. Tesla is set to announce its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, and Musk is expected to provide updates on the much-anticipated launch of the company’s robotaxi service.