According to the Zhitong Finance APP, while Tesla's (TSLA.US) &#34;Optimus Prime&#34; is still stumbling along the path of mass production, China's humanoid robots have quietly taken the world stage. This competition for the future industrial high ground is showcasing a passionate race between the East and the West.
Humanoid robots are artificial intelligence machines that resemble humans in appearance and movement, and are expected to fill positions in the industrial and service sectors. It is reported that Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia (NVDA.US), released significant news this month: the launch of a full-stack technology solution specifically developed for humanoid robots, claiming to usher in a new era of &#34;general-purpose robots.&#34;
Tesla's Optimus project has set a military order—aiming to deliver 5,000 humanoid robots this year. Musk even showcased a video of the robot &#34;dancing the tango&#34; at the earnings call, attempting to dispel doubts about the maturity of its technology.
However, companies in China across the ocean are closing the gap at an astonishing speed. Last month, Hangzhou Yushu Technology suddenly started selling consumer-grade humanoid robots on JD.com, and a performance featuring 16 robots dancing with real people at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala amazed the entire internet.
Even more noteworthy is that Shanghai-based robotics startup Agibot (also known as Zhiyuan Robotics) has already achieved Tesla's annual production target ahead of schedule, with a neatly arranged array of robots in its factory, indicating the explosive potential of Chinese manufacturing.
Analyst Insights
In this regard, Morgan Stanley's calculations show that the cost of producing a humanoid robot ranges from $10,000 to $300,000, depending on different configurations and downstream application needs. However, Chinese players have unleashed a price killer: the Yushu G1 robot is priced at $16,000, making it more competitive than Tesla's estimated price of $20,000. Behind this is the strong support of the Chinese supply chain—70% of core components are self-controlled and completely exclude American components.
Moreover, China's technological advancements in the field of humanoid robots are also significant. In the past five years, China has submitted 5,688 related patents for humanoid robots, which is 3.8 times that of the United States. Cross-industry giants such as Xiaomi Group-W (01810), BYD (01211), Chery, and XPeng (XPEV.US) have all entered the fray, and China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has explicitly listed humanoid robots as a key development item, requiring large-scale production by 2025.
Ming Hsun Lee, head of the Greater China automotive and industrial research at Bank of America, pointed out that China views humanoid robots as a key industry because they have the potential to alleviate labor shortages.
He predicts that in the next three to four years, humanoid robots will first be applied on production lines to replace some workers, and in the medium to long term, they will gradually penetrate the service industry. Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk expects that by 2025, Tesla will have over 1,000 or even thousands of Optimus robots.
It is worth noting that Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers such as BYD and Geely have already deployed humanoid robots developed by Yushu Technology in their factories. Ming Hsun Lee also mentioned that as humanoid robots become more widespread, the cost of their components will &#34;drop very rapidly,&#34; with China holding about 70% of the share in the supply chain for these components
Bank of America analysts predicted in a research report this month that with the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, the deployment of humanoid robots will accelerate, with global annual sales of humanoid robots expected to reach 1 million units by 2030, and by 2060, there will be 3 billion humanoid robots in use worldwide.
According to a report from SemiAnalysis earlier this month, the Unitree G1 is referred to as &#34;the only viable humanoid robot on the market&#34; and does not use any American components at all.
The report warns that China is the only country likely to gain economic benefits from intelligent robotic systems such as humanoid robots, which &#34;poses an existential threat to the United States, as the U.S. is at a disadvantage in all aspects.&#34;

TSLA

Tesla's "Optimus Prime" is still in the mass production stage, while Chinese humanoid robots have rapidly risen. Nvidia has launched a full-stack technology solution, and Tesla plans to deliver 5,000 Optimus robots. Meanwhile, Chinese companies like Yushu Technology and Agibot are performing well in the market, with the former launching the G1 robot at a price of $16,000, demonstrating a competitive advantage. The number of patent applications in the field of humanoid robots in China far exceeds that of the United States, indicating technological advancement and strong supply chain support

- Tesla's humanoid robot project faces competition as Chinese humanoid robots gain global attention, with significant advancements in technology and production.  
- Nvidia's CEO announced a comprehensive tech solution for humanoid robots, while Chinese companies like Yushu Technology and Agibot have already achieved impressive production milestones.  
- Analysts predict a rapid decline in component costs due to China's strong supply chain, with global humanoid robot sales expected to reach 1 million units by 2030, highlighting China's potential economic advantage in this sector.

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China and the U.S. humanoid robot race: Tesla has not firmly secured its throne, and the Chinese team has already taken a shortcut