Tesla (Optimus)
EV giant building Optimus in-house at Fremont and Giga Texas, aiming for automotive-scale humanoid volume
Public · Pilot · Humanoid OEM · Austin, Texas, United States · Founded 2003 · TSLA (Nasdaq) · tesla.com
Reported Funding figures are not applicable (public company, Optimus is internally funded). Weekly production figures come from The Information via secondary outlets and are not confirmed by Tesla.
Profile
Tesla is developing the Optimus humanoid using its vehicle manufacturing, actuator and AI (FSD) stack. Reports in Sep 2026 put output at several hundred V3 units a week at Fremont, mostly for internal testing, with hands and task generalization as the main bottlenecks. A dedicated pilot line has started at Giga Texas.
People
- Elon MuskChief Executive Officer
Tesla's filings describe him as CEO and 'Technoking of Tesla'. In 2013 Tesla named his X account an official channel for company information.
@elonmuskHandle linked from company site - Ashok ElluswamyHead of the Optimus program; Vice President of AI Software
Took over the Optimus program in June 2025 after Milan Kovac left.
@aelluswamyHandle cited by press
Sources: Tesla, Inc. annual report on Form 10-K for 2025 (signatures) · Tesla's Optimus robot program head Kovac leaves company, Bloomberg says (Markets Insider) · Tesla AI boss reveals how big Optimus is going to get (The Bitstream) · As of . X handles are shown only when we could confirm they belong to the person.
Leadership on X
What leadership has posted about robotics, AI and tech in the last 30 days.
- He said AI and robots will more than double the global economy in less than 10 years.1
Because this account posts at very high volume, only posts mentioning robots, robotics, humanoids or Optimus were reviewed.
- He argued that safety for physical AI robots is a far harder problem than safety for large language models, noting that many viral robot stunts are essentially remote-controlled.1
- He highlighted Tesla's Robotaxi and Cybercab service operating in heavy rain.23
- He said Tesla's self-driving software keeps a safe distance and reacts to cut-ins faster than a human, citing its collision-avoidance behaviour.45
Chatter on X
Social posts, not verified facts. What X is saying about this company, rated for how far it can be trusted. Shows the last 14 days, plus anything still unresolved.
Items shown have cleared our internal credibility screen.
- ConfirmedProduct demoFirst seen Oct 10
Musk says Digital Optimus can play about half of the Diablo campaign from screen video alone
Digital Optimus is a software agent built by Tesla and xAI, not the humanoid robot. The claim is Musk's own and has not been independently demonstrated.
Why this label- Posted by Elon Musk himself on Oct 10
- No independent demo published yet
Primary post on X · @elonmusk, Oct 10Backing: Electrek: Musk confirms Tesla-xAI Digital Optimus project·Elon Musk's post on X, Oct 10
- LikelyHiring / leadershipRumorFirst seen Oct 7 · Updated Oct 10
Rumor: ex-Optimus AI lead Ashish Kumar reportedly founded a robot startup raising about $100M
The Information reports Kumar co-founded Intelligent Machines, which builds non-humanoid industrial robots and has hired former Optimus staff. Neither Tesla nor the startup has confirmed it.
Reported, not yet confirmed by the company.
Why this label- Reported by The Information from two people with direct knowledge
- Specific name, company and funding size, but unconfirmed
Primary post on X · @zerohedge, Oct 7Reporting: The Information·Breaking The News
Labels
- Confirmed
- The company, an SEC filing or a major outlet backs it.
- Likely
- A credible first-hand source or named outlet reports it; nothing official yet.
- Unverified
- One source, or a source with a thin track record. Treat as a rumor.
- Disputed
- A credible party contests it.
Last checked Oct 10. Official account @Tesla_Optimus: 0 posts in the last 14 days, last post Aug 28.
Flagship robots
- Optimus V3 Humanoid
Built mainly for internal testing/training as of Sep 2026
Market & financials
Hiring signals
Optimus hiring points to a move from pilot builds toward production.
High confidenceSeveral separate signals point the same way (manufacturing weight, named launch roles, Austin factory hiring) and the launch postings say so in their titles.
- Open roles
- 291Optimus roles
- Top location
- Palo Alto · 48%139 of 291 roles
- Top role area
- Manufacturing engineering116 roles · 40% of 291 engineering & ops
A representative posting
JobWhat this role tells us
A staff-level hire to launch Optimus general assembly may indicate the line is moving from pilot builds toward production.
Staff Robotics Manufacturing Engineer, Optimus General Assembly, Production Launch
Austin, Texas, US · Archived copy
What the hiring suggests
- 116 of the 291 open Optimus roles (39.9%) are in manufacturing engineering and 49 (16.8%) are in quality and test, the two biggest hiring areas.
- Role area116 manufacturing engineering roles overall (of 291 open Optimus roles)
- Role area49 quality and test roles overall (of 291 open Optimus roles)
- 4 open roles are explicit launch roles, for Optimus general-assembly production launch and hands launch, which suggests lines are being readied rather than only prototyped.
- Posting4 explicit launch roles
- Austin lists 43 Optimus roles and 29 of them are in manufacturing engineering, which suggests factory-floor work there rather than lab work.
- Location29 manufacturing roles in Austin (of 43 Optimus roles listed in Austin)
Where the roles are · share of 291 open roles (Optimus roles)
- Palo Alto, California, USEngineering campus, not headquarters48%139 roles
- Fremont, California, US21%62 roles
- Austin, Texas, US15%43 roles
- Langley, British Columbia, Canada5%16 roles
- Other locations11%31 roles
Show all 20 locations
- Palo Alto, California, US48%139 roles
- Fremont, California, US21%62 roles
- Austin, Texas, US15%43 roles
- Langley, British Columbia, Canada6%16 roles
- Holzgerlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany3%7 roles
- Lathrop, California, US2%6 roles
- Draper, Utah, US1%2 roles
- Orlando, Florida, US1%2 roles
- Reno, Nevada, US1%2 roles
- Tampa, Florida, US1%2 roles
- Doral, Florida, US1%1 roles
- Elgin, Illinois, US0%1 roles
- Hayward, California, US0%1 roles
- Henderson, Nevada, US0%1 roles
- Littleton, Colorado, US0%1 roles
- Marina Del Rey, California, US0%1 roles
- San Antonio, Texas, US0%1 roles
- San Diego, California, US0%1 roles
- Sunnyvale, California, US0%1 roles
- Tempe, Arizona, US0%1 roles
Locations are where the posting says the job is based, not where the robots are built. A posting that lists several sites is counted once, under the first.
Role mix · 291 engineering & ops roles
Show 9 more areas
Roles are sorted into a fixed list of areas by job title. Percentages are of engineering & ops roles.
More postings
- JobActuator and geartrain work suggests in-house Optimus actuator productionRobotics Geartrain Manufacturing Engineer, Optimus ActuatorsLangley, British Columbia, Canada · Archived copy
- JobData-collection hiring outside Tesla's factoriesData Collection Operations Lead, OptimusDraper, Utah, US · Archived copy
- JobPossible groundwork for selling Optimus to outside customersSr. Regulatory Compliance Engineer, OptimusFremont, California, US · Archived copy
- JobLaunch role for Optimus assembly, pointing to a production rampRobotics Manufacturing Engineer, Optimus General Assembly, Production LaunchPalo Alto, California, US · Archived copy
As of . Scope: Optimus roles. Counts are our reading of public job postings, not company statements.
Scope note Only postings with 'Optimus' in the title are counted, not Tesla's other roles. Tesla's careers site blocks automated access, so postings are read from the physicalai.jobs mirror and may lag the official site. Locations are the city on each posting: Palo Alto, California is Tesla's long-standing engineering campus (Tesla's corporate headquarters moved to Austin, Texas in 2021), and Fremont, California and Austin, Texas are factory sites.
Caveat. Optimus-titled roles only, via a tesla.com mirror that may lag it; its posting dates cluster in late August, so they don't show when roles opened; Palo Alto is the engineering campus, not HQ; open roles are not hires. What this does not show
Competitors
Companies with overlapping products. Direct = same customers and same job; Adjacent = overlapping technology or market, different focus.
Figure AI
Adjacent competitorBoth are building general-purpose humanoids for factory work: Figure AI builds general-purpose humanoids run by its own Helix AI model, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
Apptronik
Adjacent competitorBoth are building general-purpose humanoids for factory work: Apptronik builds the Apollo humanoid, now in pilots with Mercedes-Benz and GXO, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
XPeng Robotics
Adjacent competitorBoth are carmakers building humanoids first for their own factories: XPeng Robotics is building the IRON humanoid for mass production by the end of 2026, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
Show 5 more
Agility Robotics
Adjacent competitorBoth are building general-purpose humanoids for factory work: Agility Robotics sells the Digit biped for tote moving in logistics and manufacturing, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
Humanoid (SKL Robotics)
Adjacent competitorBoth are building general-purpose humanoids for factory work: Humanoid (SKL Robotics) builds the HMND 01 industrial humanoid in London, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
Boston Dynamics
Adjacent competitorBoth are building general-purpose humanoids for factory work: Boston Dynamics is training the electric Atlas for Hyundai's factories and also sells Spot and Stretch, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
Hyundai Motor Group
Adjacent competitorBoth are carmakers building humanoids first for their own factories: Hyundai Motor Group owns Boston Dynamics and plans to deploy more than 25,000 Atlas units in its own plants, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
Xiaomi (Robotics)
Adjacent competitorBoth are carmakers building humanoids first for their own factories: Xiaomi tests its own humanoids on its EV production lines, while Tesla develops Optimus in-house and so far builds it mostly for its own factories.
Recent news
- — Optimus pilot production line starts at Giga Texas All Things Elon
- — Report: Optimus output reaches several hundred a week, but robots can't generalize Electrek Reported
From SEC filings
Robotics-related passages from SEC filings, newest first.
Scope Quarterly report for Q2 2026; only the Optimus and robotics passages are summarized.
Tesla says it is preparing and investing for large-scale Optimus production.
We are also capitalizing on our strengths in real-world AI data to advance the development of Optimus, a general purpose, autonomous humanoid robot, as we make preparations and investments in large-scale production.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsTesla names Optimus among the manufacturing investments it may need additional funding for.
As we make critical high-value investments in our AI initiatives and expand manufacturing capabilities, including for our semiconductor, Optimus and solar operations, we intend to manage the business such that we maintain a strong balance sheet and sufficient liquidity, which may include additional funding.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Scope Q2 2026 results announcement; highlights come from the attached shareholder update.
The Model S and X lines in Fremont have been removed and first-generation Optimus lines are being installed, with production expected soon.
We have decommissioned the manufacturing lines for Models S & X at our Fremont Factory and are installing the first-generation lines for Optimus, where we expect to start production soon.
Exhibit 99.1, Q2 2026 Update (Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition)The first Optimus units will be used internally to collect training data.
The initial Optimus builds will be used in our Optimus Academy for training data collection and further functionality development.
Exhibit 99.1, Q2 2026 Update (Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition)Tesla's Cortex 2 training cluster serves both self-driving and humanoid robot software.
Cortex 2 supports the development of both vehicle and humanoid robot autonomy software and will ramp further over the rest of the year to ensure we have sufficient compute resources.
Exhibit 99.1, Q2 2026 Update (Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition)
Show 2 earlier filings
Scope Q1 2026 results announcement; highlights come from the attached shareholder update.
Tesla said the Fremont first-generation Optimus line is designed for 1 million robots a year.
The first-generation line, designed for 1 million robots a year, will replace the Model S and Model X lines in Fremont.
Exhibit 99.1, Q1 2026 Update (Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition)A second-generation line at Gigafactory Texas is being designed for 10 million robots a year over the long term.
We are also preparing Gigafactory Texas for the second-generation line, which is being designed for long-term annual production capacity of 10 million robots.
Exhibit 99.1, Q1 2026 Update (Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition)
Scope Annual report for 2025; only the Optimus and robotics passages are summarized.
Tesla describes Optimus as a general-purpose humanoid robot that applies its self-driving AI work.
We are also applying our artificial intelligence learnings from self-driving technology to Bots, such as Optimus, a general purpose, autonomous humanoid robot in development.
Item 1. BusinessTesla intends robots to be an important part of its business.
We currently are developing Bots, including Optimus, and intend for these products, as well as accompanying services, to be an important part of our business going forward.
Item 1A. Risk FactorsTesla lists sourcing or building the needed components, and cost-effectiveness, among the risks for its robots.
Our success will depend on various factors, including our ability to successfully apply our artificial neural network training experience to autonomous robots, to either source or custom develop the necessary technology and components, and the product’s cost-effectiveness, utility and competitive positioning relative to market alternatives.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Source: SEC EDGAR · Quotes checked word for word against the filing · As of .
Earnings calls: what they said about robotics
As of .
What the company said on its earnings calls and keynotes, by topic, oldest call first. Each item shows its type: Forecast, Aspiration, Design capacity (what a plant is built to handle, not what it makes) or Fact.
When production starts at Fremont
- Q1 2026Forecast statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk said Tesla assumes Optimus production at Fremont starts around late July or August 2026. He declined to predict 2026 volume and expects a slow start, with significant numbers in 2027.
“Start of production is, we're assuming, somewhere around the late July, August time frame”
- Q2 2026Forecast statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk said Tesla will "soon" start Optimus production, without naming a month. Tesla's quarterly update says the first units go to its own Optimus Academy for training data, not to customers.
“we will soon start production with Optimus”
Factory capacity
- Q1 2026Forecast statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk said a second Optimus factory is being built at Giga Texas and will probably start production around summer 2027. Tesla's April update separately lists design capacities of 1 million robots a year at Fremont and 10 million a year long term at Texas, the volumes those plants are designed for.
“that will probably start production around summer next year”
- Q2 2026Aspiration statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk described Optimus 4, to be built in Austin, as far more vertically integrated and aspirationally 10 million units a year, about ten times Optimus 3, while warning that scaling production is insanely difficult.
“aspirationally 10 million units a year”
The next robot reveal
- Q1 2026Forecast statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk said the Optimus 3 design is almost ready, but Tesla would rather unveil it closer to production because competitors copy reveals frame by frame. A mid-2026 reveal had been floated; no date was given.
“competitors do a frame-by-frame analysis”
How hard it will be to build
- Q2 2026Fact statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk called Optimus the hardest product Tesla has had to scale because every part is new. With no existing supply chain, Tesla built much of it itself, and he expects the early ramp to be flat and long.
“there is no supply chain”
Show 4 more topics
The robot's chips
- Q1 2026Forecast statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk said the new AI5 chip, which has completed design, is expected to go into Optimus and the data center rather than urgently into cars.
“AI5 will go into Optimus and into the data center”
- Q2 2026Forecast statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk said AI5 will initially go into Optimus and that Tesla hopes it is in volume production in 2027. He called the next chip, AI6, potentially the best edge-computing chip in the world.
“AI5 will initially go into Optimus”
Watch at 1:00:41 on the replay
Note: Only the year (2027) and Optimus-first are confirmed. The recording is unclear on which part of 2027 he named, so we do not give one.
Tesla's own chip fab
- Q1 2026Design capacity statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk described a research chip fab at Giga Texas costing roughly $3 billion and capable of a few thousand wafers a month.
“a $3 billion-ish initiative”
- Q2 2026Forecast statementElon Musk, CEO
Musk said Tesla expects to announce the location of its Terafab chip factory soon, and that without it Optimus scaling would be limited by chip supply.
“announce the location soon”
How Optimus learns
- Q2 2026Fact statementAshok Elluswamy, VP of AI Software
Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's VP of AI Software, said Optimus is built with human form and hands so it can learn from videos and factory workers, then from reinforcement learning with many robots practicing in the Optimus Academy.
“the Optimus Academy”
How much Tesla is spending
- Q2 2026Fact statementVaibhav Taneja, CFO
Tesla's CFO said second-quarter capital spending roughly doubled from the first quarter ($5.8 billion versus $2.5 billion in the update) and will rise further in the second half. 2026 spending is expected to exceed $25 billion, including Optimus capacity and chip fabs.
“CapEx doubled sequentially”
Statements are Tesla's own, from its earnings webcasts and quarterly filings as of the date shown. Forecasts and aspirations can change. Speaker names and wording were checked against the recordings; items we could not make out are marked or left out.
Suppliers
- Sanhua Intelligent Controls — Linear-actuator assemblies; robot thermal/joint modules
- Tuopu Group — Rotary actuators / joint modules; dexterous-hand motors
- Harmonic Drive Systems — Strain-wave gears; integrated actuator units
- Leaderdrive (Suzhou Lvdi) — Harmonic reducers; integrated joint modules (in development)
- Green Harmonic — Harmonic reducers
- GSA / Rollvis — Planetary and inverted planetary roller screws
- Xinjian Transmission — Planetary roller screws
- Beite Technology — Planetary roller screws, ball screws
- Wuzhou Xinchun — Inverted planetary roller screws; bearings
- Keli Sensing Technology — Six-axis torque sensors
- LG Energy Solution — Cylindrical cells for robots
Sources
- Tesla ramps Optimus to hundreds a week, but the robots can't generalize (Electrek) (Sep 25, 2026)
- Tesla Begins Optimus Pilot Production at Giga Texas (All Things Elon) (Oct 8, 2026)
- Tesla AI & Robotics (Oct 8, 2026)
Confidence: medium.