Image source, Getty Images
- author, Joao da Silva & Natalie Sherman
- role, Business Reporter, BBC News
-
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said the electric car maker will start producing and using humanoid robots starting next year.
Musk said in a social media post that the robots will first be used by Tesla, with production expected to begin for sale in 2026.
The announcement comes as the tech billionaire is pushing to cut costs at Tesla in the face of falling demand for its vehicles.
The company said on Tuesday that profits had halved from $2.7 billion (£2.09 billion) to less than $1.5 billion (£1.16 billion) in the three months to the end of June, as sluggish sales hit its bottom line.
“Overall, we remain focused on reducing costs across the company,” the company said in an investor update on Tuesday.
Tesla said third-quarter auto sales fell 7% from a year ago, despite a series of price cuts and other incentives aimed at luring customers.
Still, overall revenue barely managed a 2% increase thanks to growth in its energy storage business.
Tesla shares fell about 8% in after-hours trading.
Musk's business has become increasingly focused on technologies such as artificial intelligence, self-driving cars and robotics as demand for electric vehicles slows.
Musk has previously said he expects the robot, called Optimus, to be ready for use in Tesla factories by the end of the year.
“Tesla will be producing a small number of truly useful humanoid robots for our own internal use next year and then hopefully mass producing them for other companies in 2026,” Musk said on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Other companies, including Honda and Boston Dynamics, are also developing their own humanoid robots.
Tesla says it aims to develop “autonomous humanoid robots” that can carry out “dangerous, repetitive or tedious tasks.”
Musk has previously said that Tesla aims to mass-produce robots at a cost of less than $20,000 (£17,900) each.
He's known for setting ambitious timelines for his companies, but not always meeting them.
In 2019, he said he was “very confident” that Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the road by the following year.
Musk said earlier this year that he would unveil the highly anticipated robotaxi on August 8, but the announcement has reportedly been delayed.
Tesla said Tuesday it was still “actively” working on developing robot taxis, but the timing of their introduction would depend on regulatory approval.
