Tough Luck on Four Wheels
Tesla endured a difficult sales year in 2025, as Chinese automaker BYD overtook it to become the world’s top-selling electric-vehicle maker. New tariffs and regulatory shifts that have slowed EV adoption could place additional pressure on the Austin-based automaker, but the company may have found a new long-term growth driver through its in-development Optimus humanoid robot.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk did not push back against a claim made by entrepreneur and investor Jason Calacanis at the All-In Summit. Calacanis suggested that Optimus could become so influential that “nobody will remember that Tesla ever made a car.” Musk later responded to the remark on X, saying, “Probably true.”
Probably true
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 15, 2026
More Than Just a Car Company
The Optimus project is expected to operate under the Tesla umbrella, aligning it with a broader trend among automakers exploring humanoid robotics, such as Hyundai’s work with Atlas. Tesla's humanoid robot is positioned as a general-purpose assistant capable of performing physically demanding or potentially hazardous tasks. Musk has previously targeted a price of around $20,000 for Optimus – roughly half the cost of an entry-level Tesla Model 3.
If Musk succeeds in selling one million Optimus units, it would satisfy one of the key targets tied to his proposed $1 trillion compensation package. Calacanis, who claims to have visited Tesla’s Optimus lab, expressed optimism in the project’s potential, suggesting that Musk could ultimately produce not just a million, but a “billion” robots. He went so far as to call it “the most transformative technology product ever made in the history of humanity.”
Another target of that ambitious payout plan involves deploying up to one million robotaxis, which centers on Tesla’s two-seat Cybercab. The Cybercab is being developed as a fully autonomous vehicle, eliminating the need for a steering wheel or pedals. Production is expected to begin in April 2026, although the vehicle has yet to receive regulatory approvals for autonomous operation, and the Cybercab trademark name remains on hold.
Can Robots Rewrite History?
Despite Musk’s suggestion that Optimus could eventually overshadow Tesla’s automotive legacy, that outcome is highly uncertain. The automaker played a pivotal role in reshaping the modern EV industry, beginning with the original Roadster at a time when EVs were still widely viewed as a niche. The lineup has since continued to deliver competitive performance, particularly with the 1,020-horsepower Plaid variants on the Model S and Model X.
However, given the company’s setbacks – such as federal regulators scrutinizing the Full Self-Driving system over safety issues, the Cybertruck struggling to meet early expectations, and recurring quality concerns – the brand may still be remembered, but not in a positive light.
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