Tesla's dedicated Optimus humanoid robot factory at Gigafactory Texas has moved into vertical construction. Drone footage published on May 27, 2026 by Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer shows the first steel structure standing on the facility's North Campus, while phase two of land reclamation is already underway. Tesla executives have positioned the site as the long-term home for an industrial-scale production line targeting up to 10 million Optimus units per year.
A Plant Sized for Mass Robotics
According to filings cited by Tesla observers, the project will add more than 5.2 million square feet of industrial space to Giga Texas. Once built, the Optimus plant is expected to extend nearly the full length of the main vehicle factory, potentially exceeding 4,000 feet, while running 50 to 70 meters narrower. The complex sits alongside other advanced North Campus developments, including a planned Terafab for next-generation AI silicon.
Two-Phase Production Strategy
The Texas site is the second leg of a two-phase Optimus rollout. Tesla has ended Model S and Model X production at its Fremont plant to convert that line for initial Optimus manufacturing, with start of production expected in July or August 2026. Early units will be used inside Tesla facilities to gather real-world performance data while engineers refine processes. The second-generation high-volume line at Giga Texas is targeted to begin output in the summer of 2027.
Musk Doubles Down on the Bet
CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly described Optimus as Tesla's largest future value driver, more important than the company's vehicle business over the long term. The new plant is the most concrete sign yet of that conviction, requiring an investment that could ultimately stretch into the billions of dollars across foundations, supply chain, actuators, sensors and AI infrastructure.
Rival Humanoid Factories Are Racing to Open
The Giga Texas milestone arrives as competitors expand their own production footprints. ENGINEAI just opened a Shenzhen factory capable of producing one humanoid every 15 minutes, while Catalyst Brands tapped Figure AI to deploy humanoids in its warehouses. Boston Dynamics has shown its electric Atlas moving 100-pound loads after just weeks of reinforcement learning training, and IntBot and Certis are scaling humanoids into service work in Singapore.
Execution Risks Loom
Tesla still needs to prove it can ship a reliable consumer-grade humanoid at any meaningful volume. Today's Optimus units are completing limited tasks inside Tesla facilities, and the company has yet to disclose firm pricing or order books. Even so, the visible progress at Giga Texas signals that the company intends to anchor humanoid manufacturing in Texas at industrial scale, rather than treating Optimus as a research program.
Reporting based on coverage from Teslarati and observer drone footage at Gigafactory Texas.