WASHINGTON — Tesla boss Elon Musk says the electric vehicle car maker will start producing and using humanoid robots from next year.

In a social media post, Musk said the robots will first be used by Tesla, which will start making them to sell in 2026.

The technology billionaire had previously said he expected the robot, called Optimus, to be ready for use in Tesla factories by the end of this year.

Other firms, including Honda and Boston Dynamics, have also been developing their own humanoid robots.

"Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026," Musk said on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

It came just a day before Tesla was due to release its latest financial results.

The company's shares ended Monday's trading session on Wall Street up by more than 5%.

He has previously said the Tesla aimed for the robots to be mass produced and cost less than $20,000 (£17,900) each.

Musk is known for setting ambitious timelines for his companies, which he has not always met.

In 2019, he said he felt "very confident" Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the road by the following year.

Earlier this year, Musk said the long-awaited robotaxi would be unveiled on 8 August.

Last week, he appeared to confirm a report that the event would be delayed.

Musk did not give a new date but said he had requested a change to the front of the vehicle.

“The extra time allows us to show off a few other things,” he wrote.

It came after Bloomberg News reported that the event had been delayed to October.

Musk's businesses have been increasingly focusing on technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and robots at a time of slowing demand for electric vehicles. — BBC