First step on the line
Tesla has started manufacturing its Optimus humanoid robots to production standards at its Fremont, California factory. The space previously used for electric vehicles has been repurposed for the company's robotics ambitions. This marks the first time Tesla has built Optimus units to production standards.
Big target, long road
CEO Elon Musk aims to reach 20,000 robots per week by the end of 2027. However, Musk said Optimus is an entirely new product category for the company and that production will ramp up slowly. Engineers still need to refine the robot's design and manufacturing efficiency.
Reliability and software hurdles
Tesla wants Optimus to operate safely over extended periods without frequent repairs or component failures. On the software side, considerable work remains before the robot can reliably handle unfamiliar tasks. Musk said it will take time for Optimus to perform a broad range of activities independently.
Compute infrastructure expands
Tesla plans to reach 400 megawatts of training compute capacity by the end of 2026 to support autonomous driving and robot development. Construction of its Austin facility continues, with equipment commissioning set to begin in 2027. It is still unclear when Optimus will become commercially available at scale.
