Tesla трансформирует завод в Фримонте для массового производства гуманоидов вместо электрокаров Translation: Tesla transforms Fremont factory for mass production of humanoids instead of electric cars

Tesla is halting the production of its Model S and X vehicles and is repurposing its factory in Fremont, California, to manufacture Optimus humanoid robots. Elon Musk announced this during a conference call discussing the fourth-quarter results, as reported by CNBC.

“It’s time to retire the Model S and X with dignity. If you’re interested in purchasing one, now is the best time to place your order,” he stated.

Following the original Roadster, these two models are the oldest in Tesla’s lineup. Sales of the Model S began in 2012, while the Model X debuted three years later.

Recently, the company has significantly reduced prices for new models amid rising global competition in the electric vehicle market.

The starting price for the Model S is $95,000, while the Model X begins at $100,000. The more affordable versions of the Model 3 and Y, set to be released at the end of 2025, will be priced around $37,000 and $40,000, respectively. The Model 3 accounts for 97% of the 1.59 million vehicles sold by the company.

In its earnings report, Tesla reported its first ever annual revenue decline, with sales dropping in three of the last four quarters. In light of this, Musk aims to shift investor focus toward self-driving cars and robotics—areas where the company currently has no operations.

Optimus is a bipedal robot purportedly capable of performing a wide range of tasks, from factory work to childcare. The company plans to unveil the third generation of this robot, intended for mass production, in the first quarter of 2026.

Musk mentioned that the assembly line in Fremont would have the capacity to produce 1 million Optimus units per year.

“This is a completely new supply chain. There are truly no components from cars in Optimus,” the entrepreneur explained.

The initiative also involves increasing staff numbers and achieving a «significant boost in production volume.»

Alongside the earnings report, Tesla announced a $2 billion investment in another of Musk’s ventures, xAI.

This transaction occurred as part of a $20 billion funding round announced earlier in January.

“The investments were made on market terms agreed upon with other investors,” the company noted in its fourth-quarter earnings report.

xAI is one of the leading AI startups and is the force behind the chatbot Grok. Recently, it has been under scrutiny from regulators worldwide due to a controversy involving the generation and publication of explicit deepfake images based on real individuals’ photographs.

Tesla is incorporating Grok as a feature in some of its electric vehicle infotainment systems. In a new presentation for shareholders, company representatives stated that the firms have reached a framework agreement to explore potential collaboration in the AI sector.

In January, Musk declared that artificial intelligence could surpass human capabilities as early as 2026.