Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed new details about the upcoming Optimus V3, shedding light on why the company is holding back from showcasing it publicly.
According to Elon Musk, who made the comments during the company’s Q1 2026 earnings call on Wednesday, the next-generation robot could be unveiled as early as mid-2026, but Tesla is deliberately holding back on early demonstrations due to concerns competitors could copy the technology.
“We’re a bit hesitant about showing it, because we’ve found that competitors will analyze it frame by frame and copy everything we do, so we want to wait until it’s ready before releasing it,” Musk explained.
Musk also provided an update on Optimus production timelines, and Tesla is targeting a fairly aggressive schedule. Preparation work is expected to take place through the second quarter of 2026, followed by a public reveal sometime between June and July.
If timelines hold, initial production could begin shortly after, with early manufacturing runs slated for late July or August at Tesla’s Fremont factory.
From there, Tesla plans to steadily scale output. A broader production ramp is expected in early 2027, with a second manufacturing line coming online at Giga Texas later that year. Mass production at that facility is currently targeted for the third quarter of 2027.
Musk also indicated that transitioning the Model S and Model X production lines at Fremont for Optimus is a relatively involved process. Shutting down an existing line, dismantling it, and installing new equipment for Optimus production could take roughly four months, highlighting the complexity of bringing humanoid robots into a manufacturing environment originally designed for vehicles.
“Frankly, if we’re able to go from stopping production on one line, dismantling that entire line, reinstalling a whole new line, and turning that on in a matter of 4 months, that is an insanely fast speed. I don’t think any other company on Earth has ever done that before, just to put things into perspective and inject some reality into the situation here,” Musk said.
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