Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus now runs

Tesla posted a new video of its humanoid robot Optimus running in the lab on the social network X (formerly Twitter) on December 3. The short video, captioned “Just a new PR in the lab,” quickly went viral, showcasing the robot’s latest achievement.

Optimus stands 1.8 m tall and weighs 72.5 kg, with over 40 degrees of freedom, including 11-DoF arms designed for human-like mobility. It is powered by a 2.3 kWh battery that allows for nearly all-day operation, consuming only 100 W at rest and approximately 500 W while walking.

The latest footage shows improved balance, coordination, and gait control, a big step up from previous updates that focused on basic skills like walking, handling objects, and practicing posture. A comparison video from May 2023 to December 2025 clearly shows the progress of the project.

Tesla plans to deploy 5,000 Optimus robots by the end of 2025, with mass production expected to begin soon. Elon Musk estimated that the price of the robot could drop to between an estimated €18,500 and €27,700 with larger production.

Musk also envisions self-replicating manufacturing systems, where robots build other robots, reducing the need for human labor on assembly lines. Optimus’s progress reflects a broader trend in the auto industry: manufacturers are turning to robotics, as EVs and humanoid robots share core technologies like batteries, AI chips, sensors, and autonomous navigation.