Tesla shares saw an increase on Monday as Elon Musk continued to underscore the potential value of the company’s humanoid robots.
Musk announced on X that Tesla aims to produce genuinely useful humanoid robots for internal use at a low scale next year, with hopes for larger-scale production for other companies by 2026. In April, during Tesla’s annual meeting, Musk mentioned that the Optimus robot project would enter limited production in 2025, anticipating that over 1,000 units would be operational at Tesla by year-end. Currently, two robots are active on the factory floor, though their specific tasks remain undisclosed.
Musk previously speculated that the introduction of these robots could contribute up to $20 trillion to Tesla’s market value. However, the robots are not expected to hit the market until late 2025, with projected prices ranging between $20,000 and $30,000.
Musk’s claims about the “genuinely useful” nature of the robots have raised questions, especially considering previous product demonstrations that have not been well received. In a controversial instance in May, Tesla was accused of posting a video of an Optimus robot folding a shirt, which was actually being manipulated by a person off-screen.
Historically, Tesla has been criticized for its product showcases; the Optimus robot project was launched in 2021 with a performance that featured a person in a robot costume dancing. Analyst Craig Irwin from Roth MKM remarked that achieving a sentient humanoid robot by 2025 seems overly ambitious given the company’s past presentations, suggesting they may struggle to compete with established players like Boston Dynamics.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Honda and Apptronik in Japan. Meanwhile, Chinese automakers such as Dongfeng Motor and Nio are testing humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics in their production facilities, and BMW has integrated humanoid robots from Figure, a Silicon Valley-based company, into its operations since January.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock increased by over 3% on Monday. Year-to-date, shares have remained relatively stable after a significant recovery over the past two months. Tesla is expected to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk will likely provide updates on the delayed launch of the robotaxi.