- The EV maker is building robot capabilities around its manufacturing strengths as car companies move into embodied AI
- From BYD to Tesla, automakers are betting that factories and AI expertise can become a competitive edge in robotics
Leapmotor, a Hangzhou-based EV upstart, has stepped deeper into humanoid robotics, becoming the latest Chinese automaker to explore a sector increasingly viewed as an extension of intelligent vehicles.
The EV maker recently established Huzhou Lingsheng Precision Manufacturing Co. (湖州凌昇精密制造有限公司), a wholly owned subsidiary, with registered capital of 210 million yuan ($31 million).
The new company’s business scope includes industrial robot manufacturing and intelligent robot development.
The move follows Leapmotor’s earlier establishment of Jinhua Ling’ai Electronics (金华凌艾电子公司), which has registered capital of 120 million yuan and focuses on intelligent robotics research.
Leapmotor’s robotics push comes as automakers globally accelerate efforts to develop humanoid robots, betting that technologies developed for smart vehicles can be transferred into machines operating in the physical world.
Dating back to March 2025
The company began exploring robotics earlier. In March 2025, Chairman Zhu Jiangming (朱江明) said Leapmotor had formed a robotics pre-research team of several dozen people. The company began recruiting engineers specializing in embodied robotics later that year.
Leapmotor said its robotics business remains at the research stage, with the initial goal of applying robots to its own vehicle manufacturing lines.
The company is entering a crowded field. More than 20 automakers worldwide have announced plans to develop humanoid robots, including BYD, Xpeng, GAC Group, Chery, Tesla and Hyundai.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li Ke (李柯) recently confirmed that the company is developing humanoid robots, saying the competition will depend on manufacturing, software and hardware capabilities, and that automotive AI technologies can be transferred to robotics.
BYD established an embodied intelligence research team in 2022 and has since invested in robotics startups including AgiBot (智元机器人) and PaXini (帕西尼感知). It has adopted a dual approach combining internal development with strategic investments.
The company’s first commercial service humanoid robot, “Xiao Di” (小迪), is scheduled to debut in August at BYD’s “Di Space” venue in Zhengzhou. The 1.61-meter robot is expected to initially serve as a sales assistant at BYD stores.
Xpeng has moved faster toward commercialization. Its next-generation humanoid robot IRON has entered small-batch trial production at a Guangzhou factory, with mass-production lines undergoing final testing.
Xpeng Chairman He Xiaopeng (何小鹏) has taken direct responsibility as CEO of the robotics business, with Iron targeting monthly production capacity of more than 1,000 units by the end of 2026 and deployment in Xpeng stores from 2027.
Other Chinese automakers are following similar paths. GAC Group has developed its GoMateMini humanoid robot through its incubated startup Guangdong Huilun Technology, with plans for scaled production in 2027.
Meanwhile, Chery launched its humanoid robot Mornine (墨茵) in April 2026.
Overseas robot frenzy
Overseas automakers are also accelerating. Tesla has installed dedicated production lines for Optimus at its Fremont factory. Hyundai has taken full ownership of Boston Dynamics and plans to build a U.S. production line capable of producing 30,000 electric Atlas robots annually by 2028.
The appeal for automakers lies in the overlap between intelligent vehicles and humanoid robots. Technologies including sensors, AI algorithms, electric drive systems and battery management can be adapted across both industries.
More importantly, automakers already own the environments where robots need to prove themselves: factories, logistics centers and retail stores.
Leapmotor said its self-developed and self-produced core components account for 65% of its vehicles. Its capabilities in batteries, electric systems, sensors and intelligent driving could provide a foundation for robotics development.
By deploying robots first in its own factories, Leapmotor can test applications such as flexible robotic arms for motor manufacturing, CTC battery assembly and domain-control electronics production.
The approach could reduce reliance on external automation suppliers while allowing the company to validate technology and economics before broader commercialization, according to media reports.
Zhu Jiangming’s vision
The next two years could determine which players successfully move from prototypes to production. Companies that can complete the full cycle — from robot development to mass manufacturing and from factory deployment to commercial services — may gain an early advantage in the humanoid robotics race.
Leapmotor’s approach differs from some higher-profile competitors. The company is taking a more manufacturing-focused path, consistent with founder Zhu Jiangming’s emphasis on cost discipline and return on investment.
Long known as a modest and pragmatic entrepreneur, Zhu has previously said automation equipment investments should pay back within three years through labor savings; otherwise, the company would delay deployment.
Whether this cautious strategy can remain competitive as rivals accelerate spending will be the next test for Leapmotor’s robotics ambitions.
