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Tesla’s highly anticipated Cybercab robotaxi and Optimus humanoid robot projects are entering production more cautiously than previously expected, with CEO Elon Musk warning that early output will be “agonizingly slow” before it eventually accelerates. Official statements and multiple industry reports confirm that the company’s timeline for these breakthrough products has shifted to reflect the complex realities of manufacturing entirely new categories of autonomous systems.
Musk made the comments on Tuesday, acknowledging that while the Cybercab, a fully autonomous, two-seat ride-hailing vehicle planned to start volume production in 2026, and the Optimus humanoid robot represent core elements of Tesla’s future strategy, their rollout will not be swift.
“For Cybercab and Optimus, almost everything is new, so the early production rate will be agonizingly slow,” he wrote in a post on X, tying the slower pace directly to the unprecedented engineering and manufacturing challenges involved.
The cautious outlook contrasts with earlier expectations that both products would rapidly enter mass production. Tesla had previously signaled that Cybercab would reach volume production in 2026, aiming for high annual output once manufacturing stabilized, and Optimus production was expected to begin later in the year. However, Musk’s latest remarks underscore that initial quantities will be limited and that scaling these lines will take time.
Tesla Cybercab production starts in less than 100 days from today, which will use Tesla’s revolutionary unboxed manufacturing process for the first time.
One Cybercab will be able to roll off the production line in under 10 seconds versus 34 seconds for Model Y, with a long term… pic.twitter.com/NJyQcf7vvH
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 20, 2026
Analysts note that Tesla’s pivot into autonomous vehicles and robotics comes as the company’s core electric vehicle business experiences saturated markets and slowing growth. Investors have tied much of Tesla’s ambitious valuation, around $1.39 trillion, to the future success of its autonomous and robotic products, even as traditional revenue continues to come primarily from EV sales.
The Cybercab, announced at Tesla’s 2024 “We, Robot” event and initially slated to sell at a disruptive price point, represents Tesla’s vision for a robotaxi network that could transform urban transportation. Meanwhile, the Optimus humanoid robot is envisioned as a general-purpose machine capable of performing tasks unsuitable for humans, potentially unlocking significant long-term revenue.
In the days following Musk’s announcement, Tesla’s stock experienced modest gains, indicating that investors are absorbing the tempered expectations while still valuing the long-term potential of autonomous tech.
Musk has previously mentioned that production of the autonomous Cybercab is set to kick off in April 2026. He also indicated that “low production” of the Optimus robots would start by 2025, with the aim of integrating them into Tesla’s factories. He expressed hope that “high production” of the Optimus robots would follow in 2026, allowing other companies to utilize these robots in their own facilities.
Complicating factors include the novelty of the products and the number of new parts, manufacturing techniques, and systems integration steps required. Experts point out that “production hell,” a phrase historically associated with Tesla’s Model 3 rollout, may be repeating itself as the company tackles similarly complex projects.
Musk has also provided a broader timeline, telling attendees at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Optimus robots may be available for sale to the public by the end of 2027 once production achieves desired safety and reliability metrics. Musk has emphasized that while early production will be painstaking, it will “eventually end up being insanely fast” once processes mature, echoing past patterns in Tesla’s rollout of ambitious technologies.
As 2026 progresses, Tesla’s ability to scale these next-generation products will be central to the company’s evolution beyond its electric vehicle roots.
