Tesla Q3 profit falls 43% as Optimus robot production begins

Briefing by News4U · First published 2026-10-21 22:06:09 UTC

Tesla reported flat revenue and a 43% profit drop to $787 million while starting Optimus robot production in California.

Tesla posted third-quarter revenue of $28.04 billion, nearly unchanged from a year earlier, while net income fell 43% to $787 million from $1.37 billion. [1] [2] [3] [4]

The company began production of its Optimus humanoid robot at its Fremont factory and said the first units are production-quality. [3]

Tesla also confirmed it is considering a merger with SpaceX. [1] [2]

Sources

1. Tesla’s profits slip on weaker vehicle sales

   Financial Times · 2026-10-21 20:09:34 UTC · Summary only

2. Tesla Profit Slumps as Elon Musk’s Car Company Considers Merging With SpaceX

   NY Times · 2026-10-21 20:11:27 UTC · Summary only

3. Tesla starts Optimus robot production in California as profit falls 43%

   TechCrunch · 2026-10-21 20:33:09 UTC · Full text

4. Tesla profits drop 43% in Q3

   Ars Technica · 2026-10-21 21:35:07 UTC · Excerpt

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