Tesla (TSLA) revealed its next iteration of the Optimus humanoid robot prototype yesterday. The tech, AI, and robotics company has given this new Optimus a golden-colored outer shell.
As the latest images of this Optimus iteration were shared on X by Tesla, the fans and enthusiasts thought this was the third generation of the humanoid robot.
However, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had to intervene to stop the rumors. According to Musk, this golden Tesla Optimus is version 2.5 rather than version 3.
The currently shown Optimus robots belong to the 2nd generation of the prototypes Tesla has developed. The automaker is using some of these robots at the factory and at the Tesla Diner for repeated tasks like giving out popcorn to visitors.
“We haven’t shown Optimus V3 yet. It is sublime,” Elon Musk wrote on X. This statementy by the company’s CEO suggests that Tesla is already working on the 3rd-gen Optimus humanoid robot and it won’t be long before it will be revealed (probably end of this year or first half of 2026).
Musk’s statement also ended speculations and rumors that this is Optimus Gen 3.
Tesla Optimus Colors
The first generation of the Tesla Optimus robot was initially available in a greyish silver color. The limbs of this version looked unfinished, and the upper body was given a shell compared to the earliest prototype.
The 2nd-gen Tesla Optimus looked like a finished product with a white and black exterior shell. This version has been getting trained with Tesla Vision neural-net AI for years. However, this Optimus outfit still gave unfinished vibes, especially at the joints and actuators like elbows, knees, etc.
A black Optimus 2.0 robot has been commissioned at the Tesla Diner in California to serve popcorn to the restaurant’s visitors. Tesla also shared the following video of this black Optimus from the Tesla Diner yesterday.
The golden-colored Optimus is the latest publicly revealed prototype of the Tesla humanoid robot with visible improvements. Likeability of the golden color on a robot is a subjective matter, IMO, the white & black Optimus outfit is still the best-looking yet (see comparison image below).
Poptimus pic.twitter.com/pu8MxEoDJz
— Tesla Optimus (@Tesla_Optimus) September 6, 2025
Tesla Optimus 2.5 Visible Improvements
The images of Optimus 2.5 shared by Tesla show us significant improvements to the outer shell of the humanoid robot. Elon Musk’s automotive and robotics company did not share the internal changes and upgrades made in this version.
“I’ve been working on my figure,” the official account of Tesla Optimus on X posted on the social media platform.
Comparing Optimus 2.5 with version 2.0, we can see that the edges of the robot’s shell have been smoothed out. The joints are now better covered, and the seams are now less visible.
The metal in golden color is brushed, more refined, and looks smoother. The shoulders are better rounded, and there are fewer wires and actuators visible.
Tesla Optimus 2.5 shows a transition of the overall design language from squarish to roundish and more curvy, which is a better representation of the human figure (from the front at least).
The refined design gives Tesla Optimus 2.5 better mobility and a more likable appearance that’s close to a production version. Reportedly, Tesla is producing Optimus 2.5 robots at its pilot production lines at Tesla factories in the US.
Stay tuned as we will bring you future updates on Tesla Optimus humanoid robot development journey.
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