Elon Musk said on November 6, 2026, that Tesla will probably rent its Optimus humanoid robots rather than sell them, a preference he voiced during a conversation with investor Ron Baron at the 33rd Baron Investment Conference2. The company has published no prices, rental fees, contract terms, or order program.
The remark adjusts earlier positioning. In January, at Davos, Musk had talked about selling Optimus to the public by the end of 2027. The November 6 statement shifts the emphasis toward what the industry calls robot-as-a-service, in which the customer pays a periodic fee and the manufacturer retains ownership of the hardware.
Tesla has begun early Optimus production at its Fremont factory1. First deliveries to companies outside Tesla are expected around the end of 2027. The build cost per unit is reported at about $30,000.
ANALYSIS The absence of any published price, rental rate, or contract structure means the rental preference remains a directional signal rather than a commercial commitment. A robot-as-a-service model would let Tesla retain the fleet, control software updates, and generate recurring revenue, but the economics depend on terms the company has not disclosed.
Tesla's autonomous-vehicle program is also expanding: the company recently overtook Waymo on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles automated vehicle registry with 1,302 vehicles listed as of November 11[1].