Tesla’s humanoid robot program, Optimus, is poised for significant expansion as the company refines its long-term manufacturing ambitions. Ashok Elluswamy, who took over leadership of the project in mid-2025, recently clarified the company's production goals on social media, explicitly stating a target of 10 million robots annually. This figure, which has been previously alluded to by CEO Elon Musk, underscores a massive scaling effort that would see Tesla producing more units per year than the total annual car sales volume of many nations.

According to Teslarati, this production capacity is specifically tied to a dedicated facility currently under construction at Giga Texas. The buildout of the Optimus program is being executed in two distinct phases. The first, a smaller-scale line, was installed at the Fremont factory in space previously occupied by Model S and Model X production lines. The second phase, which represents the much larger facility, began its steel structure construction in May 2026. This Texas-based site is currently slated to reach volume production by 2027.

The strategic shift toward robotics has necessitated significant changes in Tesla’s manufacturing priorities. The decision to cease the production of the Model S and Model X to accommodate the initial robot assembly line marks a major pivot in the automaker’s history. While Musk has historically estimated that unit costs could hover between $20,000 and $25,000 at a lower scale, the financial implications of achieving a 10-million-unit annual rate remain a focal point for investors and industry analysts alike as the company continues to transition its focus toward automation and artificial intelligence.