Tesla’s Humanoid Robots to Enter Low Production for Internal Use Next Year, High Production for External Use Expected in 2026
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Monday that the company plans to commence low production of its humanoid robots for internal use by next year. This update follows Musk’s earlier statement that the rollout would occur by the end of 2024.
According to Musk, Tesla aims to initiate high production of these robots for external use by 2026, as indicated in a post on the social media platform X. Initially, Musk had projected that the Tesla robot, named Optimus, would be operational in the factory by the end of this year, with a potential market launch by the end of 2025.
Humanoid robots have been under development for several years by companies such as Japan’s Honda and Hyundai Motor’s Boston Dynamics. These robots are being designed to address potential labor shortages and perform repetitive tasks in industries like logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing, where tasks can be dangerous or monotonous.
Musk has a track record of unmet ambitious promises to Wall Street. For instance, in 2019, he predicted that Tesla would have a network of “robotaxi” autonomous cars by 2020.
Tesla introduced the first generation of its Optimus robot, called Bumblebee, in September 2022. Recently, the company released a video showcasing the second generation of the bipedal robot performing a task as simple as folding a T-shirt at the company’s facility.
Source: Reuters
