Tesla’s stock experienced an increase on Monday, fueled by Elon Musk’s ongoing promotion of the company’s humanoid robots.
On social media platform X, Musk stated, “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 robot to enter limited production by 2025, with an expectation that over 1,000 robots would be operational at Tesla by year-end. Currently, two robots are already on Tesla’s factory floor, although the specific tasks they perform remain undisclosed.
Musk also suggested that the introduction of this product could potentially add $20 trillion to Tesla’s market capitalization. However, the robots are not expected to be available for sale until late 2025, with projected prices ranging between $20,000 and $30,000.
The exact definition of “genuinely useful” robots by Musk is unclear, especially considering that previous product demonstrations have received criticism. In May, Tesla faced allegations of showcasing a video where an Optimus robot was shown folding a shirt, while it was actually manipulated by someone off-screen.
Tesla has a history of innovative presentations, including the 2021 unveiling of the Optimus robot project which featured a person dancing in a robot costume.
Craig Irwin, an analyst at Roth MKM, remarked on Yahoo Finance, “A sentient humanoid robot by 2025? I mean come on, they tried to launch this product with a dancer inside of a robot suit.” He highlighted the challenges Tesla faces in keeping pace with competitors like Boston Dynamics, stating that what Tesla has demonstrated appears outdated compared to the current state of technology.
In addition to competing with Hyundai’s Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Japan’s Honda and Apptronik. Meanwhile, Chinese automakers Dongfeng Motor and Nio are testing humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics in their factories, and BMW has integrated Silicon Valley-based Figure’s humanoid robots in its operations since late January.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock rose by over 3% on Monday. Year-to-date, shares remain relatively flat after a significant recovery over the past two months. Tesla is anticipated to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is expected to provide updates on the much-anticipated robotaxi unveiling.