Overview

Optimus is Tesla's humanoid robot, with its third generation announced for 2026. Elon Musk confirmed in early 2026 that over a thousand units are in operation at the Fremont factory in California. Full production launch is scheduled for summer 2026.

Design

The robot is approximately 173 centimetres tall and weighs about 57 kilograms. The most striking innovation of the third generation is the redesigned hands with significantly enhanced dexterity, whose fingers are driven by cable systems, while the associated actuators have been relocated to the forearm.

Technology and AI

Tesla relies on proprietary AI chips and leverages experience from developing autonomous driving systems to control the robot. The robot is intended to learn tasks through observation and to collaborate with humans in factory environments.

Market Significance

Tesla is pursuing high-volume production at relatively low unit costs and initially plans to deploy Optimus in its own factories. If the scaling step succeeds, it could significantly influence the market for humanoid robots.