1:19Tesla plans a dedicated Optimus factory in Texas, designed for 10 million robots a year
After Fremont, Tesla is preparing a far larger Optimus plant at Gigafactory Texas, with production planned to start in late 2026. The number is huge; so are the doubts.
Fremont is only the beginning for Optimus. Tesla is preparing a dedicated Optimus factory at Gigafactory Texas, and according to a report published on October 7, production there is scheduled to begin in late 2026.
The plan
- Location: a dedicated Optimus factory at Gigafactory Texas in Austin.
- Capacity: designed for up to 10 million robots a year once fully running.
- Start: late 2026, according to the report. Earlier Tesla statements spoke of a second-generation line in Texas starting in 2027.
- First users: Tesla itself. The first robots will work in Tesla's own operations.
- Outside customers: commercial availability is expected in 2027.
Two factories, two scales
The Fremont lines, converted from Model S and Model X production, are designed for up to one million robots a year. Texas is meant to be ten times bigger. For comparison: Tesla delivers fewer than two million cars a year across all its factories combined.
The doubts
Ten million humanoid robots a year would be an industry that does not exist yet, built by a company that has not yet shown a production version of its third-generation robot. Commentators question whether that volume, and commercial sales by 2027, are realistic. Tesla also missed its earlier target of around 10,000 robots by the end of 2025.
Why Tesla thinks big
Musk has repeatedly said Optimus could eventually be worth more than Tesla's car business, because a useful general-purpose robot could do work in factories, warehouses and homes. Building the factory early is part of that bet: if the robot works, capacity becomes the bottleneck.
What to watch
Signs of real production in Texas, figures on how many robots are actually being built in Fremont, and whether Tesla confirms the late-2026 start on its earnings call.
