Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus, which it says is designed for taking over household chores, has recently hit a production snag, which Elon Musk calls a “magnet issue.” In early April, China blocked the export of seven rare earth metals in response to President Trump’s application of 54% tariffs on Chinese goods. Aside from being used in global chipmaking supply chains, these materials are also applied in several high-tech industries, including lasers, radar, jet engines, and more.
“We’re working through that with China. Hopefully, we’ll get a license to use the rare-earth magnets,” Elon Musk said. “China wants some assurances that these are not used for military purposes, which obviously they’re not. They’re just going into a humanoid robot.”
