Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus has entered the production phase at the company's Fremont facility, with supply chain sources indicating the company has issued an initial parts order for approximately 5,000 units. Early production is primarily for internal deployment at the "Optimus Academy" within the factory and for data collection, rather than immediate retail sales.
Fremont Production Line: Utilizing Former Model S/X Space
According to reports from multiple tech media outlets, the Optimus assembly line is located in Fremont, occupying the space previously used for Model S/Model X production (both models ceased production in May 2026). The production line has been in testing since July and entered initial trial production in mid-August. Elon Musk described this product as Tesla's "most difficult to scale ever" during an earnings call, as nearly all key components require the establishment of new supply chains or in-house manufacturing.
- Initial Goal: Use Fremont to validate the process, then replicate the template at Giga Texas for large-scale production
- Long-term Production Narrative: Management has proposed an annual production target of up to approximately 1 million units (this is a long-term plan, not a short-term delivery guarantee)
- External Sales: Public statements suggest a 2027 start, with a target price range of about US$20,000 to US$30,000
Supply Chain: Approximately 5,000 Unit Parts Order
Chinese media outlet Jiemian News and other sources report that Tesla issued an order for approximately 5,000 units of Optimus parts to core "T-chain" suppliers in early September, signaling a shift from hundreds of units in trial production to a thousand-unit scale production purchase. Tesla has not officially confirmed the number. The report also mentions an internal deployment target of 10,000 to 20,000 units for 2026. If the yield rate remains stable, analysts suggest there is a chance of reaching a production rate of about 2,500 units per week by the end of the year — this is still a supply chain projection and should be regarded as a goal rather than an actual achieved capacity.
| Item | Public/Report Claims |
|---|---|
| Production Location (Initial) | Fremont (former S/X space) |
| Initial Parts Order Scale | Approximately 5,000 units (supply chain sources, not officially confirmed by Tesla) |
| 2026 Internal Deployment Target | Approximately 10,000 to 20,000 units (reports) |
| Usage | In-house Optimus Academy, not immediate retail |
| External Sales Launch Time | Leaning towards 2027; target price around US$20k–30k |
| Scaling Challenge (Musk) | Long, flat front end of S-curve; "Everything on the robot is new" |
Optimus Academy: In-House Flywheel
Early Optimus units will not be sold to external customers but will instead perform routine tasks within Tesla's own factories, creating a closed loop of "building robots → in-house work → feedback to software/hardware." Musk has repeatedly reminded investors that production will follow a long, slow S-curve, and there should be no expectation of explosive shipments in the short term. At the same time, he continues to position Optimus as one of the core narratives of Tesla's long-term value.
For consumer tech readers, the key point is that Optimus has moved from demonstration videos to the stage of "real production lines + thousand-unit scale procurement": the hardware supply chain is beginning to expand, but the commercialization timeline, yield rate, and actual weekly production capacity still need to be verified by official production figures and public in-factory operation footage.