Tesla’s humanoid robot team is auditing component suppliers across China’s Yangtze River Delta as the company pushes Optimus Gen 3 toward mass production, according to Chinese supply-chain reports published overnight.
According to CnEVPost, citing The Paper and people familiar with the industry chain, Tesla began factory audits last week at companies including Tuopu Group, Sanhua Intelligent Controls and Joyson Electronics. The suppliers make joint modules, actuators, sensors and precision structural parts that already feed Tesla’s vehicle business.
A separate report from Bloomberg said the audits have moved Tuopu, Joyson and Sanhua from provisional status to certified mass-production partners, with an initial order batch reported around 5,000 units.
The person who spoke to The Paper said those companies had already received Optimus orders before this round of audits, “differing only in size,” and that production is expected to start soon after the lines pass quality and compliance checks.
The audits are not limited to Ningbo. CnEVPost reports the visits also cover other suppliers, most of them already having a relationship with the automotive side of Tesla’s business.
The model heading into volume production is Optimus Gen 3, Tesla’s first humanoid designed for mass manufacturing, with upgrades focused on the dexterous hand and joint actuators. The company has yet to unveil the Gen 3 version over fears competitors will copy its design.
As we reported last week, Tesla has converted Fremont’s former Model S/X floor into a dedicated Optimus line targeting about one million units a year, while a second, larger plant at Giga Texas is still under construction toward a long-term target of up to 10 million units annually and high-volume output around summer 2027.
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