Tesla’s Cybercab, Optimus output to start ‘agonizingly slow’, ramp up later, Musk says

Jan 20 (Reuters) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Tuesday that early production rate of the company’s Cybercab robotaxi and its ​humanoid robot Optimus will be “agonizingly slow” before accelerating over time.

Much ‌of Tesla’s $1.39 trillion valuation hinges on investor expectations for its self-driving technology and humanoid ‌robots, even as the company’s core revenue and profit continue to come from electric vehicle sales.

Responding to a post on X about Cybercab production beginning in less than 100 days, Musk said the pace of the ramp ⁠depends on complexity, noting ‌that production speed is inversely proportional to the number of new parts and manufacturing steps involved.

“For Cybercab and Optimus, ‍almost everything is new, so the early production rate will be agonizingly slow, but eventually end up being insanely fast,” Musk wrote.

A Cybercab is a two-seater vehicle ​designed without manual controls, including a steering wheel or pedals.

The EV ‌maker has said it was on track to start volume production of Cybercab in 2026, with Optimus output “hopefully” starting towards the end of the year.

In December, Musk said Tesla was testing robotaxis without safety monitors in the front passenger seat.

Last year, Tesla launched a limited robotaxi service ⁠in Austin, Texas, using its Model Y ​SUVs equipped with a version of its ​Full Self-Driving software. Early operations were geo-fenced and included a human safety monitor in the passenger seat.

Musk has described the ‍humanoid robot project ⁠as central to Tesla’s long-term strategy, saying it could eventually dwarf its vehicle business. He has argued the robots could unlock massive ⁠new economic value by taking on a wide range of tasks that humans are ‌unwilling to perform.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing ‌by Peter Henderson and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)