Tesla’s stock saw an increase on Monday as Elon Musk highlighted the potential value of the company’s humanoid robots. Musk shared on social media that Tesla aims to have functional humanoid robots in limited production for internal use by next year, with hopes of ramping up production for external clients by 2026.
During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk had indicated that the Optimus robot would enter limited production in 2025, forecasting that over 1,000 units could be operational within the company by that time. Currently, two robots are already present on the factory floor, although their specific tasks have not been disclosed.
Musk also suggested that the introduction of the robots could potentially increase Tesla’s market capitalization by $20 trillion. The robots are anticipated to be available for sale by late 2025, with price estimates ranging from $20,000 to $30,000.
However, it remains unclear what Musk fully means by describing the robots as “genuinely useful.” Previous demonstrations have faced criticism; in one case, Tesla was accused of misleadingly portraying a video of an Optimus robot folding a shirt, which was allegedly controlled by someone out of sight.
Tesla’s history with showcasing its robots has raised skepticism. The company’s initial introduction of the Optimus project in 2021 featured a dancer in a robot costume, leading analysts to question the credibility of its advancements. Craig Irwin, an analyst from MKM, expressed doubts about Tesla’s ability to compete with established firms like Boston Dynamics, stating that Tesla’s technology appears outdated compared to industry standards set several years prior.
In addition to Boston Dynamics, Tesla will face competition from notable companies such as Honda and Apptronik in the humanoid robot sector. Meanwhile, automakers like Dongfeng Motor and Nio in China are testing humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics, and BMW has integrated robots from Silicon Valley-based Figure in its operations since January.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s shares increased by over 3% on Monday. Despite this rise, the company’s stock remains largely unchanged year-to-date after experiencing a significant recovery in the last two months. Investors are also looking forward to Tesla’s second-quarter earnings report on Tuesday, where Musk is expected to provide an update on the long-awaited robotaxi launch.