Elon Musk Attempts to Shift Narrative with Optimus Robot Amid Fading Deliveries

Tesla is poised to release its delivery results for the first quarter of 2025, with projections indicating it could be the company’s worst quarter in two years.

This follows a challenging 2024, which marked the first year without growth since the ramp-up of the Model S. As anticipation mounts, CEO Elon Musk is utilizing social media to shift the narrative ahead of this potentially disappointing news.

In a series of tweets released just before the delivery results, Musk showcased new images of Tesla’s Optimus robot while reiterating claims of its potential to be “the biggest product of all time”.

Optimus Robot Hype: Is Tesla Falling Behind in the AI Race?

He also claimed that Tesla’s Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in China for March. However, experts caution that this statement is misleading. March marked the first full month of deliveries for the redesigned Model Y, after an accumulation of orders since January, indicating that the sales boost stemmed from a temporary backlog, which has since been exhausted.

Despite some strides in robotics, Tesla’s progress in artificial intelligence appears to lag, as demonstrations of the Optimus robot continue to involve human operators controlling the machines remotely.

This lack of autonomy has raised concerns about Tesla’s standing in the AI arms race as new competitors emerge in the humanoid robot space.

The situation in China remains especially dire for Tesla, with fierce competition threatening profit margins. Analysts suspect that while the company has sold hundreds of thousands of vehicles, it may not be generating profits in the Chinese market.

Concerns surrounding demand for the popular RWD standard range Model Y—currently needing discounts and available for quick delivery—add to the mounting pressure as Tesla navigates a complex landscape of consumer expectations and competitive dynamics.