Tesla’s stock experienced an increase on Monday as CEO Elon Musk continues to highlight the potential benefits of the company’s humanoid robots. Musk took to X, stating, “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.”
In April, during Tesla’s annual meeting with shareholders, Musk indicated that the Optimus robots would enter limited production by 2025, with an expectation of having over 1,000 robotic units operational at Tesla by the end of that year. Currently, two robots are present on the factory floor, but the company has not disclosed their specific roles.
Musk previously speculated that the introduction of these robots could potentially add $20 trillion to Tesla’s market cap. The robots are anticipated to hit the market by the end of 2025, with expected prices ranging from $20,000 to $30,000.
However, the exact functionality Musk refers to with “genuinely useful” remains uncertain, especially given some past demonstrations have received criticism. In May, Tesla was accused of misleading viewers with a video showing an Optimus robot folding a shirt, which allegedly involved off-screen human manipulation.
Tesla’s history of showcasing its robots has raised eyebrows, particularly the debut of the Optimus project in 2021, which featured a dancer in a robot costume. Craig Irwin, an analyst at MKM, expressed skepticism during a Yahoo Finance segment, questioning the feasibility of developing a sentient humanoid robot by 2025, given past promotional efforts that he deemed outdated.
Tesla faces competition from established robotics companies such as Hyundai’s Boston Dynamics, Honda in Japan, and Apptronik, as well as Chinese firms like Dongfeng Motor and Nio, who are trialing UBTech Robotics’ humanoid robots in their factories. Additionally, BMW has incorporated Silicon Valley’s Figure humanoid robots into its operations since January.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock rose over 3% on Monday, remaining relatively stable year-to-date after a significant recovery in the past two months. The company is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, during which Musk is expected to provide updates on the long-awaited robotaxi rollout.