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Tesla’s Optimus can now walk autonomously on rough terrain

Credit: Tesla Optimus/X

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4 months ago

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Tesla has highlighted the latest updates to its Optimus humanoid robot, with a video from this week showing off the bot’s ability to walk on graded ground.

On Monday, Tesla shared a video on X showing the Optimus robot as it walks up and down multiple mulch-covered hills, and Elon Musk and others from the team have provided some additional context. For one, Musk highlights in his post that the bot is able to walk on highly variable ground using neural nets to control each limb, rather than through teleoperation.

Tesla’s Vice President of Optimus Engineering, Milan Kovac, also reposted the video, noting that the robot was technically not able to see, meaning that it was keeping its balance without utilizing video. The executive also says that he has actually slipped in the same spots that Optimus is seen walking and slipping on, highlighting just how rough the terrain actually is.

The team does eventually plan to add Vision to the robot, and Kovac says the company is also looking to make other improvements, such as making the gait look more natural on rough terrain, making it more responsive to commands like velocity and direction, and learning how to minimize damage and stand back up when falling.

In October, Teslarati was fortunate to catch Optimus in person as it was pouring drinks and playing rock, paper, scissors with patrons at Tesla’s “We, Robot” Cybercab and Robovan unveiling. While the humanoid robot is still in development and doesn’t yet have very human-like responses or movements, Tesla also regularly highlights progress updates on the product that show just how much it has already improved since being unveiled.

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Recently, Tesla shared video of Optimus catching a tennis ball with a new hand design, though it was done through teleoperation rather than using its own neural network controls. Still, Musk says that Optimus will be able to catch a tennis ball autonomously by next year, following suit with his claims that the humanoid robot would be getting hands with 22 degrees of freedom by the end of this year.

Tesla is expected to begin producing Optimus en masse by 2026, with external deliveries aiming to start “before 2027,” according to Musk. However, Tesla has already started using Optimus for simple tasks in its factories, such as sorting battery cells on the production line.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla shares Optimus’ most recent breakthroughs in update video
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Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla rolls out new, more affordable trim of the Model Y Juniper in U.S.

Two months after launching the new Model Y with the Launch Series, Tesla has brought out an All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the ‘Juniper’ build.

Published

3 hours ago

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April 4, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has finally rolled out a new trim level of the new Model Y “Juniper” in the United States, bringing a more affordable option of the revitalized version of its best-selling vehicle to market.

On Friday, Tesla officially launched the Long Range All-Wheel-Drive version of the new Model Y in the United States. Before the $7,500 federal tax credit, the configuration starts at $48,990.

Just a few days ago, we reported on Tesla ramping up production of non-Launch Edition configurations of the new Model Y at Gigafactory Texas. While the company initiated sales of these trim levels in other countries, the U.S. was still waiting for more affordable options to become available.

The Launch Series version of the new Model Y had 327 miles of range, a top speed of 125 MPH, and a 4.1-second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate. The Long Range All-Wheel-Drive trim of the new Model Y has nearly identical specs: it offers the same 327-mile range rating with the same top speed of 125 MPH. However, it has a 4.6-second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate.

The Launch Series also came with Full Self-Driving included. The new, more affordable trim does not, so owners will have to pay $8,000 for FSD if they’d like to purchase it outright. There is also a monthly subscription service that costs $99/mo.

Now that the new Model Y has a new, more accessible configuration available and Tesla has already started ramping production, this could be a good sign of things to come for the company as Q2 kicks off.

Tesla reported lower-than-expected delivery figures for Q1 earlier this week, with the company stating that the shutdown of production lines to changeover to the new Model Y design impacted “several weeks” of manufacturing.

Inventory levels for Tesla were also high, as production outpaced deliveries by a margin of nearly 22,000 vehicles. This could be due to the number of units that have not made their way to delivery centers quite yet, but more information on this will likely be shed by Tesla during its earnings call on April 22.

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Investor's Corner

“Nothing Magnificent about Tesla (TSLA),” claims Jim Cramer

Cramer shared his thoughts about the matter in a comment to CNBC.

Published

6 hours ago

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April 4, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is one of the stocks in the “Magnificent Seven,” which is comprised of U.S. tech companies that have driven notable market growth. But as per finance veteran Jim Cramer, electric vehicle maker Tesla no longer qualifies for the group’s moniker.

Cramer shared his thoughts about the matter in a comment to CNBC.

Not “Magnificent” Anymore

The Magnificent Seven (Mag 7) stocks are comprised of Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Tesla, and Nvidia. The companies are known for their large market caps, innovation, and domination in their respective fields. As per Cramer in his recent comments, however, there are essentially no Mag 7 stocks anymore amid the fallout of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

“You can buy some low multiple techs, industrials, and banks here. We did that for the charitable trust today, right under the teeth of the selloff. I would not jump back into the Magnificent 7 because, as of tonight, there is no ‘Mag 7’ anymore. I came up with that name, and I’m scrapping it right now — no moniker fits the two or three that remain viable. And I’m not going to put it out there — there’s nothing magnificent about Tesla or Nvidia,” Cramer noted.

Trump Tariffs

Donald Trump’s tariffs are expected to affect a variety of industries, including automakers like Tesla. Despite this, Tesla’s domestic factories such as Gigafactory Texas and the Fremont Factory should shield Tesla to some degree. As per TD Cowen analyst Itay Michaeli, “Tesla (is) a relative beneficiary given [its] 100% U.S. production footprint, substantial U.S. sourcing, and with Model Y competing in a midsize crossover segment where close to ~50% of vehicles could be subject to tariffs.”

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Elon Musk, however, has noted that the effects of Trump’s tariffs to Tesla are no joke. “To be clear, this will affect the price of parts in Tesla cars that come from other countries. The cost impact is not trivial,” Musk wrote in a post on X. 

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Elon Musk

Tesla is building a new UFO-inspired Supercharger in the heart of Alien country

Published

1 day ago

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April 3, 2025

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Credit: MarcoRP | X

Tesla is planning to build a new UFO-inspired Supercharger in the heart of Alien country — Roswell, New Mexico.

Back in 1947, a crash of debris led to rumors of an alleged crash of a UFO just 75 miles north of Roswell near Corona, New Mexico. The crash was officially noted as the recovery of a military balloon, but over the years, speculation persists that the “flying disc” many saw might have been extraterrestrials trying to make contact with Earth.

As a result of the 1947 crash, Roswell has adopted it and used it as the inspiration for much of its tourism. As Tesla is planning to build a Supercharger in the area, it is using the same sort of inspiration for the location, which will feature just eight charging stalls located under a CyberCanopy.

It was first spotted by MarcoRP, a noted Supercharger permit insider:

Here are some better pictures of the design:

Tesla’s Head of Charging for North America, Max de Zegher, confirmed that the site will be inspired by the events near Roswell in 1947. He noted that Tesla “wants to build a few Superchargers cool enough to be worth of the trip itself.”

This will undoubtedly be one of those locations, and along with the Tesla Drive-in Diner Supercharger in Santa Monica, it seems the company could be moving toward some more unique designs for the future, making the charging experience more fun and interesting for owners:

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