Tesla says it will build 5,000 Optimus robots as interest in its EVs reaches all-time low
Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the automaker and energy company will build thousands of its Optimus humanoid robots this year. The announcement follows Musk’s urges for shareholders not to dump their shares as the brand’s EV sales flatline.
Tesla will aim to produce 5,000 Optimus humanoid robots in 2025 as CEO Elon Musk pressures shareholders to hang in there
Last year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced two next-generation self-driving vehicles: the Robotaxi and Robovan. The two vehicles represent a greater focus for the automaker, namely exclusively autonomous platforms, not just Autopilot suites with human supervision. However, that wasn’t the only thing Musk announced. He also put the brand’s Optimus humanoid robot to work behind the bar at the event.
Now, in the face of financial turmoil, Musk announced that Tesla would build 5,000 Optimus robots this year, with a goal of ten times that much in 2026. “Optimus has gone from being an idea to the most sophisticated humanoid robot on earth,” the Tesla CEO said in an all-hands meeting.
The pilot program is set to begin later this year. Musk says Tesla has the materials and capability to produce 10,000 to 12,000 humanoid robots in 2025. However, he asserts that due to the infancy of the program, the company will endeavor to hit a goal of around 5,000 units.
The move follows a string of follies for Tesla’s EV market performance. Most recently, regulatory agencies have recalled Cybertrucks due to the likelihood of body panels falling off at driving speeds. Worse yet, worldwide protests and even vandalism have impacted the brand’s public image, softening the automaker’s sales even further. At the international level, Chinese rival BYD is rapidly challenging Tesla’s once dominant place in the electric vehicle market.
According to MarketWatch, Musk implored the company’s employees not to offload their shares amidst the chaos. “There are times when there are rocky moments, a little bit of stormy weather but I’m here to tell you the future is bright and exciting,” he said. However, the future doesn’t look especially bright at the moment. The automaker’s shares are down nearly 42% in 2025, marking the company’s worst quarter in years.
