This page is used to record the development timeline of the Tesla robot Optimus.
Tesla Robot Goals and Vision
- Tesla’s initial goal in developing humanoid robots was to create a “general-purpose humanoid robot”: capable of replacing humans in performing “dangerous, repetitive, and tedious” physical/mechanical labor.
- Optimus’s design philosophy shares infrastructure with Tesla’s own Autopilot/AI technology, leveraging its expertise in vision, neural networks, and computing platforms to build the robot’s “intelligent brain and visual system.”
- If successfully mass-produced and commercialized, Tesla believes that robotics could become a crucial part of the company’s future.
Aug 21, 2021 Optimus Announce | Tesla Robot
At the first Tesla AI Day, Tesla officially announced its humanoid robot project—the Tesla Bot concept. This was the project’s first public appearance, but at the time there was no actual prototype; it was just a conceptual idea.
Apr 08, 2022 Cyber Rodeo at Giga | Tesla Robot
At the “Cyber Rodeo” event in Giga Texas, Tesla showcased a design prototype/display model of a future product. However, this was only a display model and not an actual, movable robot.
Oct 1, 2022 Tesla AI Day 2022 | Tesla Robot
At the Tesla AI Day 2022, Tesla publicly showcased the Optimus prototype for the first time. This is Tesla’s first truly humanoid robot entity/prototype. It can perform some basic actions (such as walking, waving, and moving its arms).
Dec 14, 2023 Optimus – Gen 2 | Tesla Robot
Tesla released its second-generation humanoid robot, dubbed “Optimus Gen 2,” on its official channels. This new version signifies an iteration and upgrade of Tesla’s hardware and software.
Oct 19, 2024 Optimus Navigating Around | Tesla Robot
Optimus’s capabilities continue to expand. According to Tesla and media reports, it demonstrates enhanced mobility, environmental awareness, and object manipulation capabilities (such as grasping, carrying, sorting, and recognizing). The company has internally stated its intention to use Optimus in its factories by 2025 and hopes to commercialize it in the future.
Dec 03, 2025 Running Like a Human | Tesla Robot
Tesla officially released a video via its Optimus X social media account (formerly X, then Twitter) showcasing the Optimus performing “jog/run” in the lab. In the video, the robot’s arm swing and gait are relatively stable, a clear departure from previous demonstrations of “walking + balance + demonstration movements”—demonstrating “true bipedal running” capability.
Reality and Challenges
- While Tesla has repeatedly showcased version updates and feature advancements, the actual mass production and large-scale deployment remain uncertain—the robot has a long way to go from concept to prototype, and then to stable, reliable, and large-scale operation.
- The robot’s versatility, stability, safety, cost, battery life/power system, sensor, and environmental adaptability all remain significant challenges.
- Whether it can truly “replace human labor” and bring about widespread social applications requires time and further verification.
