Tesla’s stock saw an increase on Monday as CEO Elon Musk continues to highlight the potential value of the company’s humanoid robots.
Musk stated on X that “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for internal use next year, and ideally, in high production for other companies by 2026.”
During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk had mentioned that the Optimus robot would move into limited production in 2025. He projected that over 1,000 robots could be operational at Tesla by the end of that year. Currently, two robots are already present on the factory floor, although Tesla has not disclosed their specific roles.
Musk has also speculated that the introduction of this robot could potentially add $20 trillion to Tesla’s market capitalization. The robots are not anticipated to be available for sale until late 2025, with prices expected between $20,000 and $30,000.
However, the term “genuinely useful” regarding the robots remains vague. Previous demonstrations have raised eyebrows; in May, Tesla faced criticism for sharing a video that appeared to show an Optimus robot folding a shirt, which was later revealed to be manipulated by an off-screen operator.
Tesla has a history of showcasing its robots in less than convincing ways, notably launching the Optimus robot project in 2021 with a dancer dressed in a robot costume.
Analyst Craig Irwin from Roth MKM commented on Yahoo Finance, questioning the feasibility of releasing a sentient humanoid robot by 2025, noting the challenges Tesla may face in competing with established companies like Boston Dynamics.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla is up against Japan’s Honda and Apptronik, along with Chinese car manufacturers such as Dongfeng Motor and Nio, who are testing humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics. BMW has also integrated robots by Figure, a Silicon Valley firm, into its production lines since the beginning of the year.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock rose over 3% on Monday. The shares have remained relatively stable year-to-date after experiencing a significant rebound over the last two months.
Tesla is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is expected to provide updates on the long-awaited robotaxi launch.