Overview
- Tesla has produced only a few hundred Optimus humanoid robots so far in 2025, well below its goal of 5,000 units
- Most of the unfinished robots are stalled at the hand and lower-forearm stage due to unscaled assembly lines
- Former Optimus engineering vice president Milan Kovac departed last month, creating a leadership gap during critical redesign efforts
- Tesla halted procurement of Optimus parts in June to overhaul core components under new engineering leadership
- Elon Musk confirmed that production of the next-generation Optimus 3 is slated to begin early next year with a five-year aim of one million units annually