Tesla Humanoid Robot Team Audits Yangtze Delta Suppliers; Top Group, Sanhua, Joyson Hold Orders

Tesla's (TSLA) humanoid robot team completed supplier audits in the Yangtze River Delta last week, visiting Top Group (601689-CN), Sanhua Intelligent Controls (02050-HK) and Joyson Electronics (600699-CN), according to supply chain sources cited by The Paper on Sept. 21, 2026. The suppliers, which produce joint modules, actuators and precision structural components, had already secured Tesla humanoid robot orders and will begin production quickly once quality and compliance reviews of their lines are passed. The audit tour also covered suppliers in Hangzhou and Shanghai. Tesla plans to build several thousand humanoid robots this year. Its third-generation robot, the first mass-production model, upgrades hand dexterity mechanisms and joint actuators for factory material handling and light assembly work, with a long-term per-unit cost target of $20,000-$30,000. Tesla's former Model S/X line has been converted to a dedicated humanoid robot line with planned annual capacity of 1 million units. A second line at Gigafactory Texas, designed for long-term annual capacity of 10 million units, is expected to start production around summer 2027.