In a spectacular performance watched by over a billion viewers in China, 16 humanoid robots took the stage, wearing colorful floral jackets and performing a traditional dance from northeastern China. These robots, which twirled red handkerchiefs in sync with human dancers, were developed not for dance performances but for general use in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. They are part of a broader trend where China’s electric vehicle giants are expanding their reach into humanoid robotics.
As the electric vehicle race in China begins to stabilize, with a few dominant players emerging, the focus has shifted toward humanoid robotics. Driven by financial necessity and technological prowess, EV companies are leveraging their existing resources and experience to move into this new industry. Companies like Unitree have formed partnerships with EV manufacturers like BYD and XPeng, integrating humanoid robots like the H1 into EV factories. However, these companies are no longer just using humanoid robots; they are also building them.
GAC Group, a state-owned carmaker, has developed the GoMate robot to assist with wire installation on car production lines, with plans to mass-produce it by 2026 for use in factories and warehouses. Meanwhile, Nio, an EV startup known for its innovative battery-swap technology, has teamed up with robot maker UBTech and is also working on its own humanoid robots through in-house research and development.
The rise of humanoid robotics in China is linked to the country’s dominance in the EV industry. As of 2024, more than 160 humanoid robot manufacturers exist worldwide, with over 60 based in China. The country has quickly become the largest EV market, with more than half of all vehicles sold in 2024 being electric or hybrid, compared to just 8% in the United States. China also became the first nation to reach an annual production of 10 million new energy vehicles (NEVs), which include vehicles powered entirely or partially by electricity.
The EV industry has experienced rapid growth, the profitability of the sector has been declining. From 2018 to 2023, the number of NEV manufacturers dropped significantly due to consolidations and bankruptcies, and profit margins have fallen. The intense competition has forced companies to find new ways to cut costs and boost investor confidence, leading many EV manufacturers to explore humanoid robotics.
Both the EV and robotics industries rely on similar technologies such as environmental perception, sensor systems, and algorithms for navigation and interaction. Technologies developed for autonomous driving, like lidar and depth cameras, are now being repurposed for robots. For example, XPeng’s Iron robot uses the same algorithms for path planning and object recognition that power its EVs, enabling precise movements in factory settings.
Battery technology is another crossover. GAC’s GoMate robot, for instance, uses EV-derived batteries, enabling it to operate for up to six hours in factory environments. China’s well-established supply chain infrastructure is also a key advantage, as the country controls a significant share of the global supply chain for humanoid robot components, particularly actuators and rare earth processing. This enables Chinese manufacturers to produce humanoid robots at lower costs compared to international competitors, with models like Unitree’s H1 priced at $90,000—less than half the cost of similar models like Boston Dynamics’ Atlas.
Challenges remain in the areas of artificial intelligence and chip development, which are still largely dominated by international companies such as Nvidia, TSMC, and Qualcomm. While Chinese companies focus on hardware and application scenarios, experts like Jiayi Wang from the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence highlight the lack of progress in developing reliable control software compared to global counterparts.
The Chinese government is actively promoting automation through initiatives such as the Robotics+ action plan, which aims to double the country’s manufacturing robot density by 2025. Additionally, some provincial governments are offering subsidies for research and development to encourage innovation in automation technologies. With such strong support, China is positioning itself to become a global leader in robotics, just as it has in the electric vehicle sector.
Wang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree Robots, recently compared the state of robotics to the electric vehicle industry a decade ago, calling it “a trillion-yuan battlefield waiting to be claimed.” This reflects the tremendous potential China sees in robotics as the next frontier of technological growth and innovation.
