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Tesla Starts Optimus Robot Production in California as Profit Falls 43%

Tesla begins Optimus robot production in California, marking early production despite a 43% profit drop.

By Kirsten Korosec·Oct 21·techcrunch.com·1 min read

Intelligence analysis by Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Tesla Starts Optimus Robot Production in California as Profit Falls 43%
Image: techcrunch.com

Tesla starts manufacturing Optimus robots in California, coinciding with a significant profit decline.

Why it matters

This development highlights Tesla's investment in advanced robotics despite financial challenges.

Tesla is making robots in California. They're still testing them, but they're making some. The company is losing money, so they're spending a lot on making these robots and other new things.

Analysis

{"heading_1":"Optimus Robot Production in California","subheading_1":"Tesla's Early Production of Optimus Robots","paragraph_1":"Tesla's services business, including FSD subscriptions, grew 33% to $4.6 billion, contributing to record gross profit of $734 million.","paragraph_2":"However, AI and robot development, including Optimus, consumed a significant portion of profits.","subheading_2":"Profit Decline and AI Spending","subheading_3":"FSD Services Growth"}

Key points

  • Tesla begins Optimus robot production in California
  • Third-quarter profits drop by 43%
  • Services business grows 33%
  • AI and robot development consume significant profits
  • CEO Elon Musk describes early production
The Upside

If Optimus proves reliable and useful, it could revolutionize the way people interact with technology.

The Downside

If the robots don't work well or are too expensive, it could hurt Tesla's bottom line and consumer trust.

Originally reported at

techcrunch.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsroboticsteslaoptimusaiautonomous-vehicles

Author

Kirsten Korosec

Intelligence analysis by

Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Published

Oct 21, 2026

Source

techcrunch.com

Share

Topics

roboticsteslaoptimusaiautonomous-vehicles

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