Tesla's robot team conducts factory audits in the yangtze river delta, multiple companies secure orders

Tesla's robot team conducted factory audits at Top Group, Sanhua Smart Controls, and Jusheng Electronics in early September, focusing on production quality and compliance for core mechanical and electrical components. These audits spanned Ningbo, Hangzhou, and Shanghai in the Yangtze River Delta, where Tesla has previously collaborated on automotive projects. A supply chain insider noted that these firms had already received orders for Tesla's robot. 21st Century Economic Reports cited an insider stating Tesla's team arrived in Ningbo on September 16 for a new round of production audits, expected to lead to mass production of Optimus robots. Tesla plans to produce around 50,000 Optimus robots this year, deploying them across its global Gigafactories. Elon Musk acknowledged in July that Optimus production would initially be slow, unlike car manufacturing, and described Optimus 3 as the 'most advanced robot in the world' in March. Production at a low level is expected to start this summer, with high-volume production planned for 2027.