Following investor Jason Calacanis' recent praise for Tesla's Optimus V3 after a lab visit, CEO Elon Musk endorsed the view that the humanoid robot could overshadow the company's electric vehicle roots. This pivot comes as Tesla grapples with car sales declines and robotics setbacks, yet sees stock highs.
In a follow-up to angel investor Jason Calacanis' glowing account of Tesla's Optimus V3—shared after a January 2026 lab visit with Elon Musk and discussed at CES—the Tesla CEO affirmed on X that Calacanis' prediction was likely true: Optimus robots would define the company's legacy over its cars.
Musk envisions Optimus transforming Tesla into a $25 trillion robotics leader, promising it will comprise most of the company's value and potentially deploy one million units by 2030 as part of his pay package goals. He has claimed the robot could 'eliminate poverty and provide universal high income.'
Challenges persist, however. Tesla missed its 5,000-unit production target last year due to manufacturing issues. Demos have faltered, like a robot struggling in a hallway, with reliance on teleoperators highlighting autonomy gaps. These robotics ambitions coincide with EV headwinds: plummeting global car sales, regulatory scrutiny on driver assistance, and delivery drops.
Despite hurdles, investor optimism endures, with Tesla stock hitting a record near $500 in mid-December. This underscores Musk's strategy to shift focus from autos to robotics.
