materialScore 80/100Research
Optimus at-scale production cost target ~$20-25k per unit (marginal cost at 1M units/year) with $5-6k AI chip; requires solving for 26 custom actuators per arm and hand dexterity to achieve economics
Elon Musk· Tesla / SpaceX / xAI· Robotics· 2026-07-19· about Tesla (TSLA)
“the marginal cost of production once you hit a million units per year uh is probably around the $20,000 range... the AI chip will be pretty expensive like that that might be like55 or $6,000 of the of the bill of materials maybe more... there are um 26 actuators per arm like 26 electric like motors, gearboxes and power electronics.”
Why it matters
At 1M units/year, Optimus BOM is ~$20-25k with AI chip consuming $5-6k. With 52 actuators (26 per arm) plus hand/foot actuators, actuator cost is critical. Even small per-unit reductions in actuator cost drive margin significantly.
Investment implication
Suppliers reducing actuator cost per unit (through automation, process innovation, or design simplification) will gain leverage with Tesla. Companies supplying gearboxes, bearings, and power electronics to robotics OEMs are positioned to capture outsized margins.