By Louisa Clarence-Smith
Publication Date: 2026-01-29 06:00:00
Tesla said it will increase capital spending to more than $20 billion this year as it invests in factories to build batteries, robots and artificial intelligence chips to “position the company for the next era.”
The electric vehicle maker plans to increase production of Optimus humanoid robots and robotaxi vehicles, which do not require human drivers. The company also wants to ensure it has better control over its supply chain amid rising geopolitical risks.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, 54, said the company was trying to “ensure that we can achieve very high volume with autonomous vehicles and human robots and that we address geopolitical risks.”
He said many companies are “burying their heads in the sand” about geopolitical risk and “hope.” Nothing bad will happen.” “I’m a lot more paranoid than that,” he told investors on a conference call Wednesday evening.
He said he wanted to make sure Tesla “can continue to build batteries, robots and AI chips…”
