Tesla's Optimus Robot Delivery Date Pushed Back Again: Musk Promises Mass Production in 2026

Tesla's Optimus Robot Delivery Date Pushed Back Again: Musk Promises Mass Production in 2026Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the delivery date for the company's much-hyped Optimus robot has been pushed back yet again. Musk revealed on social media that Tesla will be internally using a small number of truly useful humanoid robots next year, with plans to begin mass production for other companies in 2026

Tesla's Optimus Robot Delivery Date Pushed Back Again: Musk Promises Mass Production in 2026

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the delivery date for the company's much-hyped Optimus robot has been pushed back yet again. Musk revealed on social media that Tesla will be internally using a small number of truly useful humanoid robots next year, with plans to begin mass production for other companies in 2026. This timeline is a delay from Musk's previous promises, where he stated in April that the Optimus robots would begin working in Tesla factories by the end of 2024 and be delivered to other companies by 2025.

Musk first announced the Tesla robot in a 2021 event, featuring a person in a skin-tight suit performing on stage, a move that garnered attention for its quirkiness. While the Optimus robot has progressed from a conceptual stage to a functional robot capable of walking and grasping objects over the past three years, the company has been somewhat opaque in showcasing its progress.

For example, in January, Musk released a video of the Optimus robot folding laundry. However, some odd details were noticed in the video's corners, indicating that the robot was not actually operating autonomously but was being controlled by someone off-screen via manual operation. This event sparked widespread ridicule, prompting other robotics companies to add no remote operation disclaimers to their videos to demonstrate the autonomy of their robots.

Despite Musk continuing to promote Optimus at recent Tesla shareholder meetings, claiming it will become the future of babysitting, other robotic companies have already surpassed Tesla in progress. For instance, Boston Dynamics unveiled a robot capable of independent standing as early as 2016 and has demonstrated feats such as single-leg stances, backflips, and parkour-like jumps in the years since.

Musk's current attention appears to be more focused on other endeavors, such as the US presidential election, suggesting robotics may not be at the forefront of his priorities now. Nevertheless, Tesla's development of the Optimus robot will continue, and the 2026 mass production goal signifies the company's ambition for humanoid robots. However, considering the continual delays in the delivery date and controversy surrounding the technology demonstrations, it remains to be seen whether Optimus will be able to deliver on its promises as scheduled.