Tesla’s stock experienced an uptick on Monday as CEO Elon Musk continued to emphasize the potential benefits of the company’s humanoid robots.
Musk took to social media platform X on Monday to state, “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026.”
During Tesla’s annual meeting in April, Musk revealed plans for the Optimus robots to enter limited production in 2025, with a forecast that over 1,000 units would be operational at Tesla by the end of that year. Currently, there are two robots on the factory floor, though Tesla has not disclosed their specific tasks.
Musk had previously suggested that the introduction of these robots could potentially add $20 trillion to Tesla’s market capitalization. Anticipating that the robots won’t be available for sale until late 2025, he expects their retail price to fall between $20,000 and $30,000.
However, it remains ambiguous what Musk means by “genuinely useful” robots. Previous demos have raised skepticism; one such instance involved a video in May which allegedly showcased an Optimus robot folding a shirt, but it was later suggested that the task was performed with the assistance of an off-screen operator.
Tesla has a history of presenting its robot capabilities with embellishment. The company first unveiled its Optimus robot project in 2021 in a controversial display featuring an individual dressed in a robot suit.
Analyst Craig Irwin from MKM expressed doubts about Tesla’s ability to compete with established entities like Boston Dynamics, stating, “A sentient humanoid robot by 2025? I mean come on… They’ve shown us is really state of the art for 2014.”
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Honda and Apptronik, as well as Chinese companies like Dongfeng Motor and Nio, who are testing humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics. BMW has been collaborating with Figure’s humanoid robots in its facilities since January.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock jumped by over 3% on Monday. The company’s shares are almost level for the year after recovering significantly over the past 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.