Tesla's Optimus Robot to Start Production in Fremont in July-August, Model S/X Lines to Be Fully Switched

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed in the Q1 2026 earnings call that the Optimus robot will start production at the Fremont factory in late July or August. This means the existing production lines will be fully switched to Optimus within 4 months after Model S and Model X end production in early May.

Musk noted that initial Optimus production will be quite slow due to the new production line and 10,000 unique components, with no predictable 2026 output and no specific target given. The third-generation Optimus, originally scheduled to debut in Q1, has been delayed to mid-year to avoid competitors copying.

Additionally, Tesla is building a second Optimus factory at the Texas Gigafactory, expected to start production in summer 2027, which will handle higher-volume production of the fourth-generation Optimus in the future.