Tesla’s stock saw an increase on Monday following Elon Musk’s ongoing promotion of the potential of the company’s humanoid robots. Musk stated on social media that Tesla plans to have genuinely useful humanoid robots in limited production for internal use next year, with hopes for higher production to serve other companies by 2026.
During Tesla’s annual meeting in April, Musk announced that the Optimus robot would enter limited production in 2025 and predicted that over 1,000 robots would be operational at Tesla by year-end. Currently, two robots are on the factory floor, though Tesla has not disclosed their specific functions.
Musk has suggested that the introduction of these robots could potentially increase Tesla’s market capitalization by $20 trillion. However, the robots are not expected to be available for sale until late 2025, and their price is anticipated to be between $20,000 and $30,000.
Critics question what Musk means by “genuinely useful” robots, citing past demonstrations that have not impressed, including a controversial video showing an Optimus robot folding a shirt, which was allegedly manipulated by a person out of view.
Analysts have expressed skepticism regarding Tesla’s ambitions, with MKM analyst Craig Irwin highlighting the company’s previous attempts to showcase robots, including the 2021 debut of the Optimus project featuring a person in a costume. He noted that Tesla might struggle to compete with established players like Boston Dynamics.
Alongside Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Honda, Apptronik, and Chinese automakers such as Dongfeng Motor and Nio, which are already testing humanoid robots in manufacturing environments. BMW has also begun employing humanoid robots developed by Silicon Valley-based Figure since January.
Following Musk’s comments, Tesla’s stock rose more than 3% on Monday, remaining stable year-to-date after a significant recovery over the past two months. The company is set to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is expected to provide updates regarding the delayed unveiling of its robotaxi.