Is the Tesla Optimus actually available for purchase?

Announced but not yet available. Source: https://www.tesla.com/we-robot.

What does the Tesla Optimus cost?

Tesla Optimus costs $20,000-$30,000 one-time (manufacturer target). Source: https://www.tesla.com/we-robot.

Does the Tesla Optimus really fold your laundry?

Demonstrated under teleoperator control; not autonomous. Sources: https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/15/elons-tesla-robot-is-sort-of-ok-at-folding-laundry-in-pre-scripted-demo/, https://newatlas.com/robotics/tesla-optimus-folds-shirt/.

Does the Tesla Optimus really tidy your room?

Demonstrated in a demo; no real-world verification. Sources: https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-optimus-most-impressive-demonstration-video/, https://interestingengineering.com/culture/can-optimus-make-america-win.

Where is the Tesla Optimus being used?

Tesla Optimus is in use at: Austin operated by Tesla (2025-01-01) and Fremont operated by Tesla (2024-09-01). Source: https://www.tesla.com/AI.

What's the Tesla Optimus running on?

Tesla Optimus runs a multi-brain stack: Tesla FSD-Bot (foundation-model, pilot maturity) and Grok (xAI) (foundation-model, pilot maturity).

Is the Tesla Optimus safe?

No incidents on record across 2 verified deployments.

Who makes the Tesla Optimus?

Tesla Optimus is made by Tesla, based in Austin, Texas, USA. Source: https://www.tesla.com/we-robot.

Buying guide

Tesla Optimus

By Tesla · humanoid

Price: $20,000-$30,000· manufacturer target
Availability: Announced, no delivery date.
Maturity: pilot
Real-world use: Yes, 2 verified deployments

Each clip and image on this page carries a provenance label. About our media provenance →

Tesla Optimus is the canonical example of the verified-vs-claimed gap in commercial humanoid robotics. Tesla has shown Optimus in choreographed demos, internal-facility deployment, and consumer-marketing contexts, but no verified third-party customer deployments and no shipped consumer units exist as of 2026. The price ($20,000 to $30,000) is a manufacturer target contingent on high-volume production that has not yet begun. Optimus units inside Tesla facilities count as manufacturer pilot, not commercial deployment under DEPLOY's maker-facility rule.

Readiness

Tesla Optimus is announced, no delivery date at $20,000-$30,000 (manufacturer target), the 2 capability claims on file are mixed autonomy with teleoperated in demo, 2 verified deployments are on file, and no incidents are on record.

Availability

announced-no-date

Announced, no delivery date.

see evidence →

Price honesty

manufacturer-target

One price on file: $20,000-$30,000 (manufacturer target).

see evidence →

Capability honesty

teleoperated-assisted

2 reviewed claims, mixed: 1 teleoperated-assisted, 1 demo-only.

see evidence →

Real-world use

pilot

Maturity: pilot. 2 verified deployments in the registry.

see evidence →

Safety record

no-incidents

No incidents on record. 2 verified deployments on file.

What it claims to do

Folds laundryteleoperated-assisted· teleoperated in demoevidence ↗
Tidies a roomdemo-only· demonstrated onceevidence ↗

Price

$20,000-$30,000manufacturer target · Tesla We Robot official event page ↗ · announced 2024-10-10

Real-world use

Austin operated by Tesla2025-01-01
Fremont operated by Tesla2024-09-01

Safety record

No incidents on record. 2 verified deployments on file.

Privacy

No privacy practices disclosed or on file for Tesla Optimus.

Specs

dof: 28 body DOF plus 11 per hand (Gen 2)
hands: 11-DOF cable-driven hands with fingertip tactile sensing (Gen 2)
notes: Concept announced: Tesla AI Day, August 2021 (concept only, no hardware; represented by a person in a suit).
First prototypes: Tesla AI Day, September 30, 2022: the Bumble-C prototype walked untethered; a sleeker Optimus unit using Tesla components was shown but could not yet walk unaided.
Optimus Gen 2: December 2023: Tesla-designed actuators and sensors, about 30 percent faster walking, roughly 10 kg lighter, 11-DOF hands with fingertip tactile sensing, a 2-DOF actuated neck, and balance/squat demos. This is the primary demonstrated-hardware artifact.
We Robot demo (teleoperation): October 10, 2024: Optimus units appeared to converse and serve drinks; Bloomberg and TechCrunch reported the interactions were human-teleoperated, with only walking AI-driven. Tesla did not disclose the remote assistance beforehand.
Factory work: claimed vs admitted: Tesla claimed internal factory testing (2024 to 2025). On the Q4 2025 earnings call (January 2026), Elon Musk acknowledged Optimus is not in material use in Tesla factories and remains in the research-and-development phase.
V3 / production design: The production-design V3 reveal slipped repeatedly (to mid-2026 as of the April 2026 call); Musk declined a 2026 volume target. An earlier claim of about 5,000 units in 2025 was reportedly missed (a few hundred built).
External commercial sale: No verified external commercial sale as of mid-2026. Tesla's stated goal is for Optimus to be useful outside Tesla around 2027.
Price (claimed): Musk projects roughly $20,000 to $30,000 at scale (sub-$20,000 only above 1 million units per year). A projection, not a realized price.
Supply constraint: On the Q1 2025 call, Musk attributed Optimus production impact to China's rare-earth magnet export restrictions.
Leadership: Optimus program VP Milan Kovac departed June 2025; Ashok Elluswamy (Autopilot/AI) took over leadership.
AI stack: Shares perception and compute approach with Tesla Full Self-Driving (registry brain: tesla-fsd-bot).
height: approx 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
weight: approx 57 to 73 kg depending on generation; Gen 2 reduced about 10 kg vs Gen 1
battery: 2.3 kWh, 52 V (Gen 1 published spec)
compute: Tesla FSD computer; neural networks trained on Tesla's AI infrastructure; perception/compute approach shared with Tesla Full Self-Driving
actuators: 6 Tesla-designed actuator types (3 rotary harmonic-drive, 3 linear roller-screw)
ai_system: Tesla FSD computer; neural networks trained on Tesla's AI infrastructure; perception/compute approach shared with Tesla Full Self-Driving
height_cm: 173
weight_kg: 57 to 73
formFactor: humanoid (general-purpose bipedal)
battery_kwh: 2.3
degreesOfFreedom: approx 28 body DOF plus 11 per hand (Gen 2); a 22-DOF hand is claimed for the V3 production design

What's under the hood

Runs on Tesla FSD-Botfoundation-model
Runs on Grok (xAI)foundation-model

Frequently asked questions

Is the Tesla Optimus actually available for purchase?: Announced but not yet available.Source: Tesla — Optimus
What does the Tesla Optimus cost?: Tesla Optimus costs $20,000-$30,000 one-time (manufacturer target).Source: Tesla We Robot official event page
Does the Tesla Optimus really fold your laundry?: Demonstrated under teleoperator control; not autonomous.Sources: TechCrunch: Optimus folds laundry in a pre-scripted demo, New Atlas: Musk confirms the Optimus shirt-fold was teleoperated, not autonomous
Does the Tesla Optimus really tidy your room?: Demonstrated in a demo; no real-world verification.Sources: Teslarati: Tesla posts Optimus demo (sweeping, vacuuming, trash), claimed single-neural-net autonomy (May 21, 2025), Interesting Engineering: Optimus demos operate only in structured, lightly staged settings; no robust unstructured autonomy
Where is the Tesla Optimus being used?: Tesla Optimus is in use at: Austin operated by Tesla (2025-01-01) and Fremont operated by Tesla (2024-09-01).Source: Tesla AI and Optimus page
What's the Tesla Optimus running on?: Tesla Optimus runs a multi-brain stack: Tesla FSD-Bot (foundation-model, pilot maturity) and Grok (xAI) (foundation-model, pilot maturity).
Is the Tesla Optimus safe?: No incidents on record across 2 verified deployments.
How does the Tesla Optimus handle privacy?: No privacy practices disclosed or on file for Tesla Optimus.
Who makes the Tesla Optimus?: Tesla Optimus is made by Tesla, based in Austin, Texas, USA.Source: Tesla — Optimus