Tesla’s stock experienced an increase on Monday as Elon Musk actively highlighted the potential of the company’s humanoid robots.
In a message on social media, Musk stated, “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in limited production for internal use next year and, hopefully, in higher production for other companies by 2026.” This announcement marks a shift from previous expectations; during Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in April, Musk indicated that the humanoid robot known as Optimus would enter limited production in 2025, with the goal of having over 1,000 robots operational at Tesla by the end of that year.
Currently, two humanoid robots are already at Tesla’s factory, though the company has not disclosed their specific roles. Musk previously suggested that the introduction of Optimus could significantly enhance the company’s market value, potentially adding $20 trillion. Expected to go on sale in late 2025, the robots are projected to be priced between $20,000 and $30,000.
However, the definition of “genuinely useful” robots remains vague, and previous demonstrations have not always impressed. In a past incident, Tesla faced criticism for a video that appeared to show an Optimus robot folding a shirt, which was later revealed to have been manipulated by an off-screen operator. The company has a history of making exaggerated claims; during the initial announcement of the Optimus project in 2021, the unveiling featured a person dancing in a robot costume.
Industry analysts are skeptical about Tesla’s progress, with Craig Irwin from Roth MKM questioning the feasibility of delivering a sentient humanoid by 2025. He noted, “It’s going to be hard for them to catch up to Boston Dynamics. What they’ve shown us is really state of the art for 2014.”
In addition to contend with Boston Dynamics, Tesla faces competition from Honda, Apptronik, and several Chinese automakers like Dongfeng Motor and Nio, who are currently testing humanoid robots in their factories. BMW has also started using humanoid robots developed by Figure, a Silicon Valley company, since January.
Following Musk’s comments, Tesla’s stock surged over 3% on Monday, maintaining a relatively stable position year-to-date after a strong recovery over the last couple of months. Tesla is set to announce its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, where Musk is anticipated to provide an update regarding the delayed robotaxi launch.