{"id":"optimus-gen1","manufacturer":"Tesla","model":"Optimus Gen 1","country":"US","description":"The first-generation Optimus is the Tesla humanoid prototype shown at AI Day on September 30, 2022. Two units appeared: the walking development robot Bumble C and a sleeker prototype closer to the intended design that could not yet walk.","catalog_status":"obsolete","specifications":{"height_cm":172,"weight_kg":73,"payload_kg":20,"dof":28,"speed_ms":0.3,"battery_h":null},"capabilities":["obstacle"],"source":{"url":"https://www.tesla.com/AI","verified_at":null,"verified_fields":[],"review_status":"requires_current_source_check"},"evidence":{"manufacturer_review":null,"mera_field_test":{"status":"not_published","report_url":null,"measured_at":null},"verification_note":"A manufacturer documentation check does not verify field performance, inventory or MERA compatibility."},"knowledge":{"summary":"The first-generation Optimus is the Tesla humanoid prototype shown at AI Day on September 30, 2022. Two units appeared: the walking development robot Bumble C and a sleeker prototype closer to the intended design that could not yet walk.","sections":[{"h":"History and launch","p":["Tesla announced the Tesla Bot at AI Day in August 2021 with nothing more than a dancer in a suit, quoting a planned height of about 173 cm, a weight of 57 kg and a 20 kg carrying capacity.","On September 30, 2022, the Bumble C prototype, built largely from off-the-shelf parts, walked on stage without cables or supports, if somewhat unsteadily and with its wiring exposed. A second, more refined unit using Tesla-designed actuators was carried out by staff; it could wave its arms but not yet walk. Tesla also showed clips of Bumble C carrying a box, watering a plant and moving a metal part at the Fremont factory."]},{"h":"Hardware","p":["Weight went up from the 125 lb promised in 2021 to roughly 160 lb (about 73 kg). A 2.3 kWh battery pack, which Tesla said was good for about a day of work, integrated the power electronics on a single board.","The body used 28 structural actuators (Tesla contrasted this with the two drive units in a car), consolidated into a handful of rotary and linear designs to cut cost. The hand had four fingers and an opposable thumb, with six actuators and 11 degrees of freedom driving spring-loaded tendons."]},{"h":"Software and AI","p":["Optimus ran on the same computer as Tesla's cars with Full Self-Driving hardware. Vision networks, including the occupancy network, came over from Autopilot, and navigation did not depend on GPS. The robot also had wireless connectivity and audio support."]},{"h":"Legacy","p":["The 2022 prototype was the baseline for later versions. In December 2023 Tesla showed Optimus Gen 2, about 10 kg lighter and 30% faster at walking, with new hands carrying tactile sensors. The first generation was never sold."]},{"h":"Price and availability","p":["At AI Day, Elon Musk said the eventual robot could cost under $20,000 and guessed it would be available in three to five years. The prototype itself was not offered to customers."]}],"timeline":[["2021-08","Tesla Bot announced at AI Day (dancer in a suit; planned 173 cm, 57 kg)"],["2022-09","AI Day 2022: first walking prototype Bumble C and the sleeker Optimus"],["2023-12","Successor revealed: Optimus Gen 2"]],"faq":[["When was the first Optimus shown?","On September 30, 2022, at Tesla AI Day."],["How much did Optimus Gen 1 weigh?","About 73 kg (160 lb), up from the 57 kg announced in 2021."],["Could the 2022 Optimus walk?","The Bumble C development robot walked across the stage unsupported; the sleeker prototype could not walk yet."],["What battery did Optimus Gen 1 use?","A 2.3 kWh pack that Tesla said would last roughly a day of work."],["Was Optimus Gen 1 for sale?","No. It was a prototype; Musk suggested the eventual robot might cost less than $20,000."]],"sources":[{"title":"Tesla's robot is a real robot now, not just a guy in a suit","publisher":"TechCrunch","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/30/teslas-robot-is-a-real-robot-now-not-just-a-guy-in-a-suit","date":"2022-09-30"},{"title":"Tesla Shares More Details About Optimus Humanoid Robot","publisher":"Robotics 24/7","url":"https://www.robotics247.com/article/tesla_ai_day_2022_optimus_robot","date":"2022-10"},{"title":"Tesla Unveils Optimus Robot Gen 2","publisher":"Not a Tesla App","url":"https://www.notateslaapp.com/news/1821/tesla-unveils-optimus-robot-gen-2-tesla-designed-fingertip-sensors-actuators-and-ten-other-improvements-video","date":"2023-12"}],"updated":"2026-10-10"},"mera":{"rental_with_operator":false,"sale_in_offer":false,"availability":"confirmation_required","shop_url":null},"url":"https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoids/optimus-gen1","inquiry_url":"https://merarobotics.com/en/start?service=purchase&robot=optimus-gen1"}