Tesla’s stock experienced a rise on Monday as CEO Elon Musk highlighted the potential value of the company’s humanoid robots. Musk stated on X that Tesla aims to have genuinely useful humanoid robots in limited production for internal use next year, with hopes for broader distribution by 2026.
During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk mentioned that the Optimus robot would enter limited production in 2025, predicting that over 1,000 units could be operational within the company by year-end. Currently, two robots are on the factory floor, though their specific functions have not been disclosed.
Musk previously suggested that this product could boost Tesla’s market capitalization by $20 trillion, with the robots anticipated to be sold for between $20,000 and $30,000 starting late 2025. However, Musk’s description of the robots as “genuinely useful” is somewhat vague, especially given that earlier demonstrations have been criticized. For instance, a video featuring an Optimus robot folding a shirt was accused of showing a person controlling the robot off-screen.
Historically, Tesla has faced skepticism regarding its robot initiatives, including a previous demonstration where a dancer was inside an Optimus costume. Analyst Craig Irwin from MKM expressed doubt during a Yahoo Finance segment, questioning the feasibility of a fully functional humanoid robot by 2025 and noting that Tesla’s presentations appear outdated compared to advancements by companies like Boston Dynamics.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla will compete against Japanese firm Honda, Apptronik, and Chinese companies like Dongfeng Motor and Nio, which are exploring humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics for their production lines. BMW has also incorporated humanoid robots from Silicon Valley-based Figure into its operations since early this year.
Tesla’s shares rose by over 3% on Monday following Musk’s remarks, though they remain steady year-to-date after a significant recovery over the past couple of months. The company is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is expected to provide updates on the delayed robotaxi program.