Tesla is reportedly behind on its pledge to build 5,000 Optimus bots this year

Tesla appears to be lagging significantly in its endeavor to manufacture 5,000 Optimus humanoid robots within this year. Reports from The Information indicate that nearly eight months into 2025, the actual production numbers sit in the mere hundreds, according to insider sources. This situation compels the company to either ramp up production efforts or delay their timeline. This development follows Tesla's recent announcement of a 12% drop in overall revenue for the second quarter, attributed to decreased electric vehicle sales, reduced income from regulatory credits, and a downturn in solar and energy storage revenue. During the recent Q2 earnings call, CEO Elon Musk mentioned plans to initiate production of the latest Optimus 3 design by early next year. Musk expressed optimism, stating, "We will scale Optimus production as fast as possible and try to get to a million units a year as quickly as possible. We think we can get there in less than five years. That’s a reasonable aspiration." However, history shows that Musk has previously made ambitious predictions that did not materialize. For instance, during Tesla’s 2019 Autonomy Day, he claimed the company would have a fleet of a million robotaxis operational by 2020. Despite the high expectations, that target was not met, and subsequent promises of mass-producing robotaxis by 2024 have also yet to be fulfilled.