Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) plans to begin selling Optimus robots to consumers in 2026 after producing several thousand this year. The humanoid robot has the potential to transform certain types of household assistance and industrial work.
The humanoid robot, standing at 5’8″ tall and weighing about 125 pounds, is designed to perform various tasks in both industrial and domestic settings. Optimus is expected to be able to lift up to 150 pounds and carry 45 pounds while walking at 5 mph. In addition, Optimus is being designed to navigate uneven terrain and maintain balance using onboard sensors.
At CES, Elon Musk hyped the potential of the AI-trained robots. “I think most people, if not everyone, would probably like to have their own personal C-3PO or R2-D2,” extolled Musk. “Humanoid robots [can] be the biggest product ever in history, by far,” he added. His view is that humanoid robots will eventually outnumber humans by a large margin.
On the business side, Musk thinks humanoid robots will be priced at $20K to $25K each. He sees sales of the Optimus robot hitting 500,000 units by 2027.
On Wall Street, Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu estimated Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) might sell 200,00 humanoid robots a year by 2035. He valued the business at $22 a share, or about $70 billion. Bank of America’s John Murphy and Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives also think Optimus development is poised to accelerate this year.
On Seeking Alpha, analyst Steven Fiorillo noted that Tesla (TSLA) is in a prime position to utilize its manufacturing expertise to produce Optimus humanoid robots at a scale that competitors are unlikely to match. Meanwhile, analyst Brett Ashcroft Green has a deep dive on how to construct an all-robotics portfolio.
Other companies working on humanoid robot development include Boston Dynamics, Agility Robots, Figure AI, Sanctuary AI, Apptronok, Engineered Arts, OpenAI, Hanson Robotics, UBTech Robotocs, and PAL Robotics. Companies testing industrial and manufacturing use cases for humanoid robots include Amazon (AMZN), BMW (BMWYY), Hyundai (OTCPK:HYMTF), and Mercedes-Benz (OTCPK:MBGAF). Some of those companies are also looking at household applications for a humanoid robot.