Tesla is preparing something big for Optimus: new Gen 3 models surface in app
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Tesla is preparing something big for Optimus: new Gen 3 models surface in app")
Tesla is preparing something big for Optimus: new Gen 3 models surface in app Photograph: (Tesla)
Tesla Optimus Gen 3 has surfaced in leaked Tesla app models, revealing a redesigned body, covered joints and refined hands. The leak comes as Elon Musk prepares new robot factories, with Tesla targeting mass production from 2027.
Tesla's next-generation humanoid robot, Optimus Gen 3, has surfaced in new 3D models reportedly found inside the company's own app, offering a closer look at the machine Elon Musk has kept under wraps. The images suggest Tesla is moving beyond its earlier laboratory-style prototypes towards a robot designed for large-scale manufacturing.
The files, labelled "gen3", reportedly represent models built for Tesla's own app interface. Grok has reportedly validated them as official Tesla models, although Tesla has not publicly confirmed the leak or announced a launch date. The most striking change is the robot's appearance. Exposed mechanical linkages and gold-plated knee and shin sections seen on earlier versions have given way to a more refined body, with matte black lower-leg panels and a contoured champagne-gold finish. The design changes could offer clues about Tesla's manufacturing ambitions, as the company prepares facilities for mass production of humanoid robots.
Tesla Optimus Gen 3 leak reveals major design changes
The leaked models show a robot that looks less like an experimental machine and more like equipment intended for a factory floor. Flexible covers now seal the joints between the torso and upper thighs. These could help protect bearings and moving components from dust, debris and unnecessary contact. The body panels also appear to fit more tightly, while the hands look more refined than those on previous versions. Tesla has said the robot's hands carry 22 degrees of freedom, allowing a wide range of movements.
That matters because Tesla wants Optimus to perform tasks requiring human-like dexterity, including handling objects and carrying out repetitive work. However, the 3D models alone do not establish how the robot performs in real-world conditions or whether every detail will appear in the final production version.
Why Elon Musk has kept Optimus Gen 3 under wraps
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The leak fills a gap in Tesla's public timeline. On March 31, Musk said Optimus 3 was already walking around but needed "some finishing touches" before it could be shown. Tesla subsequently missed its first-quarter reveal target, a delay covered by Teslarati. Musk later indicated that Tesla would hold back the design until closer to production, partly to prevent competitors from copying it.
No official reveal date has been announced.
Tesla's app has also been preparing for the robot's eventual arrival. Code discovered in July pointed to a dedicated phone key for Optimus, a consent screen for collecting video and spatial data while it works inside a home, and alerts for low battery levels and mechanical faults. The appearance of finished 3D models suggests the software interface may be progressing beyond placeholder code. It does not, however, confirm a consumer launch or a final release schedule.
Tesla's robot factory plans raise the stakes
Tesla's manufacturing plans provide further context for the design leak. The company reportedly removed its original Model S and Model X production lines at Fremont this summer to make room for Optimus manufacturing, with a planned capacity of one million robots annually.
At Giga Texas, the steel frame of a dedicated Optimus factory is nearing completion ahead of a targeted 2027 start. Musk has also pointed to an eventual production ambition of 10 million units a year.
These are planned capacities and long-term targets, not evidence that Tesla is already producing robots at those volumes. For now, the leaked models offer a glimpse of Tesla's intended direction: a more enclosed, refined humanoid robot, alongside the software and factory infrastructure needed to support it. The next major milestone remains an official unveiling, followed by evidence of how well Optimus can perform outside controlled demonstrations.
