Elon Musk speeds up Optimus work, races to deliver humanoid robots on time so they can quickly end poverty
India Today
Tesla is gearing to unveil the third-generation version of the humanoid robot, Optimus. The company said it is planning to produce 1 million robots per year eventually.
You might soon be able to buy an Optimus robot for yourself, if all works according to Elon Musk’s plan. In Tesla’s latest earnings call, Musk and company have gone on record to say that they are speeding up work to make Optimus humanoid robots available to the public soon with mass production expected to commence before the end of 2026. Musk has previously said he wants to start shipping these robots to customers by 2027. To ensure that there is no delay, Tesla is shutting down production of Model S and Model X SUVs to free up assembly line space – and effort – to deliver the robots within the stipulated time frame.
Tesla seems on track – for now – to unveil the third-generation Optimus which they are saying would be the one that is going to be mass-produced. In other words, the model that is available to pubic sooner or later is highly likely to look and work like it, though Tesla may choose to make more tweaks ahead of launch, we can’t say for sure yet. This third-generation Optimus will be unveiled sometime in the first quarter of 2026, Tesla said in the earnings call, before entering mass-production which is expected to start before the end of the year. The new version is said to bring some major upgrades over the current 2.5 model including “the latest hand design.” The goal is to eventually produce up to 1 million robots per year though Musk has previously claimed Tesla was looking to make 5,000 robots this year, a target number it is likely to miss according to reports.
Tesla Bot or Optimus is designed to assist with everyday physical tasks like carrying items, assisting in the home and factories. It is designed to learn by observing humans.
As Tesla prepares for the first production line of Optimus “before the end of 2026,” Musk on Wednesday said that Tesla was planning to wind down its SUV Model S and Model X production in the second quarter of 2026. “It’s time to basically bring the Model S and X programs to an end with an honourable discharge, because we’re really moving into a future that is based on autonomy,” Musk said. “Tesla will convert its Model S and Model X factory in Fremont, California, to produce the upcoming Optimus robot.”
The company’s total automotive revenue fell 11 percent compared to the previous year in 2025.
Musk and Tesla are focusing more on projects like the Optimus robot and self-driving Robotaxis. However, these technologies are still untested, not widely available, and not yet profitable. Even so, Musk claims the company will see unparalleled growth in the future. "Biggest product of all time," said Musk, for Optimus, that robots, along with autonomous vehicles, would guide "a world where there is no poverty."
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