Tesla audits Chinese suppliers to prepare Optimus robot ramp

Tesla is auditing key component suppliers in China as it prepares to increase production of its Optimus humanoid robot. According to a report published on September 21, 2026, by Chinese media outlet The Paper, the inspections cover companies that supply actuators and joint modules, including Tuopu Group, Sanhua Intelligent Control, and Joyson Electronics.

Sources cited in the report stated that these suppliers had already received component orders for Optimus before the audits began. The current audits focus on quality control and compliance verification ahead of the start of mass manufacturing.

CEO Elon Musk has outlined a target of producing 1 million Optimus robots annually at scale. To accommodate manufacturing, Tesla ended production of its premium Model S and Model X vehicles at its factory in Fremont, California, repurposing that space for the humanoid robot.

Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy confirmed that the Fremont site will house at least 40 different production lines for Optimus to handle the robot's complex assembly. Musk has also stated that Optimus could eventually function as a self-replicating machine using available resources.