Tesla’s stock experienced an increase on Monday as Elon Musk continued to highlight the potential of the company’s humanoid robots.
Musk announced on social media that Tesla aims to have “genuinely useful humanoid robots” in limited production for internal use next year, with hopes for larger production for external companies by 2026. During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk mentioned that the Optimus robot would enter limited production in 2025, projecting that over 1,000 robots could be operational at Tesla by the year’s end. Currently, two robots are already present on the factory floor, although the specific tasks they perform remain undisclosed.
Musk previously suggested that the introduction of humanoid robots could potentially add up to $20 trillion to Tesla’s market value. The robots are anticipated to be available for purchase by late 2025, with prices expected to range between $20,000 and $30,000.
However, the exact capabilities of these robots remain a topic of speculation. In past demonstrations, the effectiveness of the robots has raised eyebrows; for instance, a video showcasing an Optimus folding a shirt was alleged to involve off-screen human intervention.
Critics have noted that Tesla often relies on grand presentations rather than showcasing genuine advancements. Financial analyst Craig Irwin from Roth MKM pointed out the challenges Tesla faces, particularly compared to established competitors like Boston Dynamics, stating that Tesla’s previous demonstrations fail to meet current technological standards.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla will contend with companies like Japan’s Honda and Apptronik in the competitive humanoid robot market. Furthermore, Chinese automakers such as Dongfeng Motor and Nio are evaluating humanoid robots developed by UBTech Robotics, while BMW is utilizing humanoid robots from Figure in its operations.
On Monday, Tesla’s stock rose more than 3% following Musk’s comments, and despite year-to-date fluctuations, shares have shown a significant rebound over the past two months. Tesla is set to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is expected to provide insights into the delayed introduction of the robotaxi.