Musk: Tesla Plans to Begin Selling Optimus Robots by the End of Next Year

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Tuesday that the company’s humanoid robot, named Optimus, could be ready for sale by the end of next year. The robot is designed to perform tasks in factories and potentially address labor shortages in industries such as logistics, warehousing, retail, and manufacturing.

Other companies, such as Honda, Hyundai Motor’s Boston Dynamics, Microsoft, and Nvidia-backed startup Figure, have also been investing in humanoid robots for various applications. Figure recently partnered with BMW to deploy humanoid robots in the car maker’s facility in the United States.

Musk believes that Tesla is well-positioned to mass-produce humanoid robots efficiently, thanks to the company’s expertise in artificial intelligence. However, Musk has a history of making ambitious promises to Wall Street that have not always been fulfilled, such as the network of “robotaxi” autonomous cars that was supposed to be operational by 2020.

Tesla first introduced the Optimus robot, also known as Bumblebee, in September 2022. A video released by the company this year showcased the second generation of the robot folding a T-shirt at Tesla’s facility. Meanwhile, Figure’s 01 robot was shown making coffee, and Boston Dynamics unveiled an electric platform for its Atlas humanoid robot, demonstrating its ability to transition from a lying down state to standing and walking.

As the race to develop humanoid robots heats up, it remains to be seen whether Tesla will be able to deliver on its promise to bring Optimus to market by the end of next year.