Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Tesla Pauses Optimus Robot Procurement for Redesign Under New Leadership

New lead Ashok Elluswamy is overhauling joint motors to boost efficiency following a two-month procurement pause.

Image

Overview

  • Tesla halted Optimus parts procurement in June for an estimated two months while engineers revise core hardware and software designs.
  • Milan Kovac departed as head of the humanoid program in late June and Ashok Elluswamy, former senior vice president of Full Self-Driving, has assumed leadership.
  • Elon Musk’s goal of producing 5,000 to 10,000 Optimus units in 2025 has been deferred as Tesla recalibrates its production roadmap.
  • Existing prototypes—built from parts for about 1,000 robots—operate at less than half the efficiency of human workers and currently move batteries in Tesla’s workshops.
  • Tesla plans to unveil a next-generation Optimus model at its upcoming shareholder meeting to showcase performance improvements and reset expectations.