Fremont to close S/X lines in May

Tesla said its Fremont factory will replace the Model S and Model X lines with its first large-scale Optimus robot factory starting in the second quarter. (assets-ir.tesla.com) The disclosure was in Tesla’s Q1 2026 shareholder update, which said “robotics preparations” for the factory would begin shortly in Q2. The company said the first-generation line is designed for 1 million robots a year. (assets-ir.tesla.com) On Tesla’s April 22, 2026 earnings call, Elon Musk said Optimus production in Fremont should begin in late July or August. Electrek reported that timeline comes about four months after the last Model S and Model X vehicles are expected to leave the line in early May. (electrek.co) That makes the change more than a rumor from social posts: Tesla itself told investors the S/X space is being reassigned. The company’s own Fremont factory page still lists Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y production there, reflecting a site description that has not yet caught up with the announced change. (assets-ir.tesla.com) (tesla.com) Model S launched from Fremont in 2012, and Tesla’s manufacturing page still highlights that milestone. Replacing the S/X lines closes the chapter on the company’s oldest vehicle platform at its original factory. (tesla.com) Tesla has been signaling that robotics and autonomy now sit at the center of its growth pitch. Its AI and Robotics page says the same core artificial-intelligence approach underpins Full Self-Driving software and the Optimus humanoid robot. (tesla.com) Tesla is also already using the Robotaxi brand for paid autonomous rides in Austin, Dallas and Houston, starting with Model Y vehicles. The dedicated Cybercab vehicle is still described by Tesla as a future offering, not the service now on the road. (tesla.com) The immediate factory effect is narrower: Fremont keeps building the higher-volume Model 3 and Model Y while the S/X area is retooled. CBS Bay Area previously reported Fremont officials welcomed Tesla’s decision to place the new Optimus line at the plant. (cbsnews.com) Tesla has also been winding down the two premium models commercially. Electrek reported on April 1 that Tesla had stopped taking custom Model S and Model X orders and had only inventory left worldwide. (electrek.co) So the May shutdown is best understood as a factory conversion, not a temporary pause. Fremont is moving from Tesla’s longest-running car lines to a production bet on Optimus that the company says should start this summer. (assets-ir.tesla.com) (electrek.co)