Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus is set to go into production next year in "small numbers" for internal use. This was announced by CEO Elon Musk on Monday on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Large-scale production for external customers is planned for 2026. The price for an Optimus robot is expected to be around 20.000 US dollars.
Musk promises that Optimus will "hopefully" go into mass production for other companies by 2026. He sees the robot as a solution to the labor shortage and for performing repetitive and potentially dangerous tasks.
The Optimus robot was first unveiled in September 2022. It is capable of, walk, to run, lift objects and climb stairs. Tesla has also announced, that Optimus will be equipped with Tesla's Autopilot software.
The Optimus robot is part of Musk's ambitious plans, Tesla to become an artificial intelligence and robotics company. Musk has presented several new products and services in the field of AI and robotics in recent months, including Tesla Vision, Tesla bot and Tesla cab.
However, experts are skeptical as to whether Tesla's timetable for the Optimus robot is realistic. The development of humanoid robots is a complex challenge and there are still many technical problems, that need to be solved.
Despite the skepticism, the Optimus robot could be a great success for Tesla the company. If Musk can keep his promises, the robot could change the way the way we work and live, fundamentally change.
