Mercury vs Tesla Optimus Gen 2
Side-by-side comparison of Mercury (Apptronik, Inc.) and Tesla Optimus Gen 2 (Tesla) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Agriculture buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- MercuryUnited States
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2United States
Year First Available
- Mercury2018
- Tesla Optimus Gen 22023
Verified Deployments
- Mercury0 Deployments
- Tesla Optimus Gen 20 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Mercury$150,000
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2$30,000
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Mercury8 hrs
- Tesla Optimus Gen 28 hrs
Availability Status
- MercuryACTIVE
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Mercury118 mm
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2173 mm
Weight
- Mercury55 kg
- Tesla Optimus Gen 257 kg
Mobility Type
- Mercurywheeled
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Mercurywheeled humanoid
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2full bipedal
Walking Speed
- Mercury1.2 m/s
- Tesla Optimus Gen 22.2 m/s
Stair Climbing
- MercuryYes
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2No
Terrain
- Mercuryflat indoor, inclines up to 15°
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2flat_indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Mercury1 kg
- Tesla Optimus Gen 220 kg
Total DOF
- Mercury19
- Tesla Optimus Gen 228
Arm DOF
- Mercury17
- Tesla Optimus Gen 222
Hand DOF
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 222
Bimanual Coordination
- MercuryYes
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2coordinated planning
Tool Use
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2vendor demo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- MercuryJetson Orin Nano SUPER 8GB
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2Tesla FSD neural network
Compute Platform
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2Tesla AI (Neural Networks)
VLM Capable
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2No
Imitation Learning
- MercuryNo
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2multi task
Teleoperation
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2joystick
Programming
- Mercurycode_python, code_cpp, no_code_gui
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2code_python, teleoperation
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Mercury8 hrs
- Tesla Optimus Gen 28 hrs
Battery Capacity
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 22.3 kWh
Charging Method
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2auto dock
Battery Swap
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2No
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2Yes
Fall Recovery
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2Yes
Human Detection Method
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2vision human
Safe Speed Near Humans
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2software_defined
Software
SDK Languages
- MercuryPython, C++
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2Python
ROS Support
- MercuryYes
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2No
Open API
- MercuryYes
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2closed
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Mercurycommercial
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2production pilot
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Mercury$150,000
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2$30,000
Price Tier
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 220-40K
Pricing Model
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2capex
Production Pilots
- Mercury—
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2Tesla Fremont, Tesla Austin
Applications
- Mercuryresearch, education, service, teleoperation
- Tesla Optimus Gen 2assembly, inspection, warehouse_transport
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | United States | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2018 | 2023 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $150,000 | $30,000 |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Agriculture buyers) | 8 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 118 mm | 173 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 55 kg | 57 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | wheeled | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | wheeled humanoid | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 1.2 m/s | 2.2 m/s |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor, inclines up to 15° | flat_indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 1 kg | 20 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 19 | 28 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 17 | 22 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 22 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | Yes | coordinated planning |
| Tool Use (values differ) | — | vendor demo |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Jetson Orin Nano SUPER 8GB | Tesla FSD neural network |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | — | Tesla AI (Neural Networks) |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | — | No |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | multi task |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | — | joystick |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_cpp, no_code_gui | code_python, teleoperation |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime | 8 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Battery Capacity (values differ) | — | 2.3 kWh |
| Charging Method (values differ) | — | auto dock |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | — | No |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | — | vision human |
| Safe Speed Near Humans (values differ) | — | software_defined |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python, C++ | Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | closed |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | production pilot |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $150,000 | $30,000 |
| Price Tier (values differ) | — | 20-40K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | — | capex |
| Production Pilots (values differ) | — | Tesla Fremont, Tesla Austin |
| Applications (values differ) | research, education, service, teleoperation | assembly, inspection, warehouse_transport |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Foundation Models, Charging Time, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Warranty
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Mercury and Tesla Optimus Gen 2?
Mercury is made by Apptronik, Inc., based in US. Tesla Optimus Gen 2 is made by Tesla, based in US.
When were Mercury and Tesla Optimus Gen 2 launched?
Mercury launched in 2018. Tesla Optimus Gen 2 launched in 2023.
How much does Mercury cost compared to Tesla Optimus Gen 2?
Mercury is listed at $150,000. Tesla Optimus Gen 2 is listed at $30,000.
How do Mercury and Tesla Optimus Gen 2 compare on the Robolist Product Score?
Mercury scores 34/100. Tesla Optimus Gen 2 scores 69/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
What is the payload difference between Mercury and Tesla Optimus Gen 2?
Mercury carries up to 1 kg. Tesla Optimus Gen 2 carries up to 20 kg.
Are Mercury and Tesla Optimus Gen 2 in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Humanoid on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Humanoid robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Humanoid TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Mercury and Tesla Optimus Gen 2?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time
8 min readHumanoid Robots
Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask
10 min readHumanoid Robots
Running a Humanoid Pilot: Scope, Success Criteria, and Exit Options
9 min readHumanoid Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
About this comparison
Mercury vs Tesla Optimus Gen 2 compares two robots in the humanoid category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robolist Product Score is calculated.