Tesla’s stock saw an increase on Monday as CEO Elon Musk continued to highlight the potential benefits of the company’s humanoid robots. Musk shared on social media that Tesla aims to have “genuinely useful” humanoid robots in limited production for internal use by next year, with hopes for a broader rollout for other companies by 2026.
During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk indicated that the Optimus robots would enter limited production in 2025, with a projection of over 1,000 units operational at Tesla by the end of that year. Currently, two robots are functioning on the factory floor, though specifics regarding their tasks remain undisclosed.
Musk previously suggested that the introduction of these robots could potentially add $20 trillion to Tesla’s market capitalization. Although the robots are not expected to be available for sale until late 2025, projected prices are estimated to range between $20,000 and $30,000.
The exact definition of “genuinely useful” in context to the robots remains ambiguous. Previous demonstrations have faced criticism; in May, Tesla was accused of exhibiting a video of an Optimus robot folding a shirt that was being manipulated by a person off-camera.
Tesla’s approach to showcasing these robots has raised questions in the past, particularly after the company introduced the Optimus project in 2021 with a performer dressed in a robot costume.
Analyst Craig Irwin from MKM expressed skepticism about Tesla’s plans, noting, “A sentient humanoid robot by 2025? They launched this product with a dancer inside a robot suit. It will be difficult for them to compete with Boston Dynamics, as what they have displayed appears outdated.”
Aside from competition from Hyundai’s Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces challenges from Japan’s Honda, Apptronik, and various Chinese automakers, including Dongfeng and Nio, which are working with humanoid robots from UBTech Robotics. BMW has also incorporated robots from Silicon Valley-based Figure in its operations since early this year.
Following Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock increased by over 3% on Monday. Year-to-date, the shares have remained relatively stable after a significant rebound in the past two months. Tesla is set to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is anticipated to provide updates on the company’s postponed robotaxi launch.