Tesla Dismantles Model S/X Lines at Fremont for Optimus

Tesla has decommissioned the original Model S and Model X assembly line at its Fremont factory in 46 days to clear space for humanoid robot production.

Tesla Manufacturing shared a time-lapse of the rapid teardown. The official Tesla Manufacturing account on X posted video showing crews removing robotic arms, clearing structural foundations and repouring the concrete factory floor. Tesla's AI chief Ashok Elluswamy responded to the post saying "Big shoes to fill, but I’m confident Optimus will not disappoint!!" The account captioned the video "End of an era: Decommissioning the original Model S & X assembly line in just 46 days" on July 10, 2026.

The shift was announced in Tesla's Q4 2025 earnings call. Tesla ended Model S and X orders at the close of the first quarter of 2026. A limited-run Signature Edition served as the final send-off and was available only by invite. The company stated that Optimus cannot use the same assembly lines as the Model S and X because of its complexity.

Fremont is targeted to produce 1 million Optimus units per year. The cleared factory floor is now being prepared for a massive robotics operation. Tesla's first official Optimus production line has arrived at Fremont and crews have begun installing hardware. Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy confirmed in a recent interview that the line is in place where the demolition ended.

The Optimus line uses a modular design instead of a static conveyor. This layout lets engineers adapt the workspace as the robot design and assembly processes change. The plan calls for scaling to dozens of individual sub-lines. Manufacturing equipment for roughly 40 distinct sub-lines is currently being built and validated in Germany before shipment to Fremont.

Larger Optimus output is planned for Gigafactory Texas. Once fully ramped, Texas is slated for up to 10 million units per year. Tesla is expected to unveil its production-ready Optimus Gen 3 prototype soon now that the Fremont floor has been cleared. The transition marks a pivot from luxury electric vehicles to robotics at the company's historic plant.