Tesla said on Oct. 21 that it had begun making Optimus humanoid robots to production standards at its Fremont, California, factory, calling the start an early step toward commercial production rather than a full launch.
The announcement was in Tesla’s third-quarter update. The update said the Fremont line was making the first Optimus units Tesla considers production quality. It also said the manufacturing process is suitable for a commercial product.
The hardware and production methods are still changing. The robot line uses factory space previously used for electric-vehicle manufacturing. On Tesla’s earnings call, Chief Executive Elon Musk cautioned that output would rise slowly and unevenly because the company is building a very new product.
He said Tesla is aiming to make 20,000 robots a week by the end of 2027. He described that figure as a future goal, not current output. Tesla has not announced how many Optimus robots are now coming off the line or set a firm date for broad commercial sales.
Musk also said the design still needs work on safety, reliability, how long the robots can operate and the AI they need to handle many different tasks. The production start marks progress toward Tesla’s robotics ambitions. But major questions remain about how quickly production will increase and what the robots will eventually be able to do.