Tesla Struggles to Lift Optimus V3 Output Past 1,000 a Week as Workers Resist Training Replacements
Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · Sep 25
Tesla Struggles to Lift Optimus V3 Output Past 1,000 a Week as Workers Resist Training Replacements
3 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Sep 25
Summary
Hundreds of Optimus robots are now being built weekly, but Tesla is struggling to scale the V3 model to more than 1,000 a week by end-2026.
More than 100 small parts in each hand-and-forearm assembly are forcing manual work, while production equipment has had trouble aligning components precisely and running faster.
Fremont stopped making the Model S and Model X in May 2026, with line workers and engineers shifted to Optimus as Tesla deepens its pivot from EVs to humanoid robots.
Employee resistance has added another obstacle, with disgruntled workers pushing back against training robots that could replace them.
The setbacks test Elon Musk's bet that AI-powered humanoids can become Tesla's biggest product, even as he concedes autonomous general-purpose robots are among the hardest engineering problems.