Tesla’s highly anticipated humanoid robot, Optimus, is facing delays as the company suspends parts procurement and shifts focus to redesigning its hardware and software.
According to a report by AInvest, sources in Tesla’s Chinese supply chain revealed that procurement for Optimus components was halted in June while engineers address key technical challenges. The pause, expected to last at least two months, raises doubts about CEO Elon Musk’s goal to deliver 5,000 robots in 2025.
Technical hurdles force a rethink
Optimus, which Musk has called a potential revolution in labor and even a tool for Mars colonization, has encountered multiple issues during development. Among the problems: overheating joint motors, low payload capacity in the hands, and short battery life.
To address these challenges, Tesla is reportedly testing new hardware configurations and increasing the use of synthetic data to improve the robot’s autonomous capabilities.
This shift comes after Milan Kovac, the original project lead, left Tesla earlier this year. Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of AI software and a central figure in the company’s Full Self-Driving program, is now overseeing the Optimus project. Insiders say Elluswamy is prioritizing fine-tuning the robot’s performance before approving large-scale production.
Production goals in question
As of May 2025, Tesla had built around 1,000 Optimus units and stockpiled parts for another 1,200 — far below the 5,000-unit target Musk set for the year.
At a showcase last October, Tesla demonstrated Optimus robots performing tasks such as dancing and pouring drinks, but reports later revealed these were largely remote-controlled. Currently, the robots are used internally to transport batteries at Tesla factories, and even there, they operate at less than half the efficiency of human workers.
A turbulent time for Tesla
The Optimus pause comes amid broader challenges for Tesla. The company has seen the departure of several top executives, while Musk faces mounting investor scrutiny and political headwinds. Despite these setbacks, Musk is expected to unveil a next-generation Optimus prototype at the upcoming shareholder meeting to reassure stakeholders and maintain momentum.
Tesla’s ambitious vision for Optimus remains alive, but the path to delivering a fully functional humanoid workforce may take longer — and prove more complex — than Musk initially projected.