Tesla’s stock experienced an uptick on Monday as Elon Musk continued to highlight the potential value of the company’s humanoid robots. Musk announced on X that Tesla plans to introduce “genuinely useful” humanoid robots for internal use in low production next year, with hopes of expanding to high production for other companies by 2026.
During Tesla’s annual meeting in April, Musk mentioned that the Optimus robots would enter limited production by 2025, predicting over 1,000 units operational by the year’s end. Currently, two robots have been deployed on the factory floor, although Tesla has not detailed their specific functions.
Musk previously suggested that the introduction of these robots could increase Tesla’s market capitalization by $20 trillion. However, the robots are not expected to become available for sale until late 2025, with projected prices ranging from $20,000 to $30,000.
The exact nature of Musk’s claim that the robots would be “genuinely useful” remains ambiguous. Previous demonstrations have faced skepticism; for example, in May, the company was criticized for a video depicting an Optimus robot folding a shirt, later revealed to be controlled by an off-screen individual.
Skepticism surrounds Tesla’s attempts to display their robotic advancements. The company’s initial reveal of the Optimus robot project in 2021 involved a dancer in a robot suit, raising questions about the authenticity of their technology.
Analyst Craig Irwin from MKM expressed doubt, stating that achieving a sentient humanoid robot by 2025 is overly ambitious, particularly when comparing Tesla’s progress to that of established competitors like Boston Dynamics.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Honda and Apptronik. Chinese firms Dongfeng Motor and Nio are evaluating humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics in their production processes, while BMW has been utilizing humanoid robots from Silicon Valley’s Figure since January.
Following Musk’s comments, Tesla stock rose more than 3% on Monday, although shares have remained relatively steady year-to-date after a significant rebound over the past two months. Tesla is set to release its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is anticipated to provide updates regarding the delayed robotaxi launch.