Recently, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, unveiled an exciting initiative: Tesla plans to rent out its humanoid robot, Optimus, while also offering it for sale. This dual strategy aims to cater to a diverse range of customer needs. The rental service is expected to launch before sales, providing customers with more flexible options.
Musk is optimistic about Optimus's potential, predicting that Tesla will deploy over 1,000 robots next year, with the number possibly reaching several thousand. These robots are set to significantly enhance Tesla's production and operational efficiency.
Equipped with advanced capabilities, Optimus can respond to voice commands and learn from watching human instructional videos, allowing it to adapt to various work environments and tasks.
Musk further projects that the number of humanoid robots could eventually surpass humanity itself, potentially reaching an astounding 10 to 20 billion units. This forecast underscores his firm belief in the long-term prospects of humanoid robot technology.
Regarding production costs, Tesla has the capacity to manufacture these robots on a large scale at approximately $10,000 each. The sales price is targeted at around $20,000, aiming to make humanoid robots more accessible to the general public.
Lastly, Musk compared the market potential of autonomous driving technology with that of humanoid robots. While the autonomous driving market could reach $5 to $7 trillion, he believes the humanoid robotics market could soar to an impressive $25 trillion. This perspective is likely to spark increased interest and discussions within the industry about humanoid robot technology.