Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots hit by China's rare earth restrictions, says Musk

A mockup of Tesla Inc.'s planned humanoid robot Optimus on display during the Seoul Mobility Show in Goyang, South Korea, on Thursday, March 30, 2023. The motor show will continue through April 9. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images Tesla CEO Elon Musk says China's new trade restrictions on rare earth magnets have affected the production of the company's Optimus humanoid robots, which rely on the exports. Speaking on a Tesla earnings call on Tuesday, Musk said that the company was working through the issue with Beijing and hoped to get approval to access the critical resources. China, earlier this month, imposed new export controls on seven rare earth elements and magnets used in everything from defense to energy to automotive technologies. The move was in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump's escalating tariffs. According to Musk, Beijing has asked Tesla to guarantee that the rare earth magnets under expert control will not be used for military purposes. ... Read full article.