Elon Musk Unveils Tesla’s Plan to Deploy Humanoid Robots by 2025, Aims for Commercial Production by 2026
Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News
4 minutes read. Updated 9:42PM GMT Wed, 24July, 2024
Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has revealed ambitious plans for the electric car manufacturer to begin production and deployment of humanoid robots as early as next year. In a social media post, Mr. Musk announced that these robots, initially intended for Tesla’s internal use, are set to be commercially available by 2026.
The announcement arrives amid Tesla’s ongoing efforts to reduce operational costs in response to a decline in demand for its electric vehicles. This strategic pivot towards robotics and artificial intelligence reflects Musk’s broader vision for the future of technology.
On Tuesday, Tesla disclosed a significant drop in profits for the second quarter of the year. The company’s net income plummeted nearly 50%, falling from $2.7 billion (£2.09 billion) to under $1.5 billion (£1.16 billion). This downturn is attributed to sluggish car sales, despite aggressive price cuts and customer incentives. Tesla’s automotive revenue saw a 7% year-on-year decrease, although overall revenue managed a 2% uptick, bolstered by growth in its energy storage sector. Following this financial report, Tesla’s shares dropped almost 8% in after-hours trading.
“Our primary focus remains on company-wide cost reduction,” Tesla reiterated in its update for investors.
The proposed humanoid robot, named Optimus, was initially expected to be operational within Tesla factories by the end of this year. “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026,” Mr. Musk stated on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Other companies, such as Honda and Boston Dynamics, are also advancing their own humanoid robot technologies. Tesla’s goal is to develop an “autonomous humanoid robot” capable of performing “unsafe, repetitive, or boring tasks.” Mr. Musk has previously set a target price of under $20,000 (£17,900) per robot, aiming for mass production. However, he is known for his ambitious timelines, which have not always been met.
In 2019, Musk expressed confidence that Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the road by the following year. Earlier this year, he announced plans to unveil the long-awaited robo-taxi on August 8, but this event has reportedly been delayed. Tesla confirmed on Tuesday that it continues to work “vigorously” on the robo-taxi project, though the timing of its release will partially depend on regulatory approvals.
