<div id="readability-page-1">Bridging the gap between science fiction and reality, a Chinese robotics firm on Tuesday unveiled a manned “mecha” capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four-legged mode. Developed by Unitree Robotics, the GD01 – resembling an Autobot from a Transformers movie – is a high-strength alloy machine designed for civilian transport. It weighs 500kg with a pilot on board – roughly the weight of a grand piano – and carries a starting price of 3.9 million yuan (US$573,674), according to the company. A demonstration video shows the GD01 – carrying a pilot in its torso-mounted cockpit – walking like a humanoid robot and knocking over a brick wall with its hand. The machine then reconfigures its chassis, shifting into a four-legged crawl. Unitree described the robot as the world’s first mass-produced “transformable mecha”. The GD01 expands the Hangzhou-based company’s portfolio at a time when Chinese manufacturers are significantly outstripping their US rivals, helped by lower production costs and faster manufacturing scale-up.  Chinese companies accounted for nearly 90 per cent of global humanoid sales in 2025, according to research firm Omdia. Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year, a person with knowledge of the matter told the South China Morning Post in January. In comparison, US firms including Tesla, Figure AI and Agility Robotics each shipped around 150 humanoid robots during the period, Omdia data showed. Chinese humanoid robots are also significantly cheaper than many Western rivals. Unitree’s entry-level humanoid, the R1, is priced at around US$6,000, while a simplified model from Chinese rival AgiBot sells for roughly US$14,000. In contrast, Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously estimated that the company’s Optimus humanoid robot could eventually cost between US$20,000 and US$30,000.  Unitree is selling its R1 and G1 humanoids, as well as the Go2 robot dog, internationally through Alibaba’s AliExpress platform. It is targeting markets including North America, Europe and Japan, the South China Morning Post reported last month, citing people familiar with the matter. Chinese-made humanoid robots have begun appearing in international airports and other logistics settings. Japan Airlines recently launched a trial using humanoids from Unitree and Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics for baggage and cargo handling at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. In March, Unitree filed for an initial public offering on Shanghai’s Star Market as it ramps up investment in humanoid robotics and large-scale production. The company said about 85 per cent of its planned 4.2 billion yuan fundraising would go towards research and development, including more than 2 billion yuan for robotics model development. </div>

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<p>Unitree Robotics has launched the GD01, a manned 'mecha' robot that can switch between bipedal and four-legged modes, priced at approximately US$574,000. Weighing 500kg, it is designed for civilian transport and is touted as the world's first mass-produced transformable mecha. The company is expanding its portfolio amid a surge in Chinese humanoid robot sales, which accounted for nearly 90% of global sales in 2025. Unitree is also targeting international markets and has filed for an IPO to boost investment in robotics development.</p>

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Unitree debuts US$574,000 ‘mecha’ robot that ‘transforms’ from 2 legs to 4