BYD To Sell Humanoid Robots Next To Its Cars

It’s unlikely that the man who used to giggle uncontrollably at BYD is laughing now. When questioned about the Chinese company back in 2011, Elon Musk flatly rejected it. These days, BYD is one of the biggest automakers in the world and outsells Tesla over the course of a year. Like the company it has surpassed, BYD now aspires to be a part of the world outside of automobiles.

Li Ke, executive vice president of BYD, disclosed earlier this week that the business is creating its own humanoid robots, pointing out that they will use similar technology to the company’s vehicles. Additionally, they might be offered for sale in other regions in addition to China through BYD’s current network of dealerships.

BYD has not disclosed how it plans to create and produce its own humanoid robots or when they would be ready for the market. According to CarNewsChina, these might be realised through an open platform where BYD collaborates with well-known robotics firms. Relying on companies with extensive experience in this field would probably reduce development timelines.

Although Tesla’s humanoid robot has garnered significant attention, other Chinese tech firms have already created robots that appear far more sophisticated than those produced by Musk’s company. Over a hundred humanoid robots from various firms competed in a half-marathon in China earlier this year. The victorious robot, developed by Honour, a smartphone company, finished the half-marathon in just 50 minutes and 26 seconds, over seven full minutes faster than the quickest human half-marathon ever.

Additionally, BYD is not the first Chinese company to enter the humanoid robot market. The Mornine M1, a female humanoid robot developed by Chery’s AiMoga division, was introduced last year. It’s an odd-looking contraption that went on sale last month, complete with long blonde hair, artificial breasts, and a BBL. At 285,800 yuan, or more than $41,000, it’s not inexpensive, though.

• Read More: For The 2026 Goodwood Festival Of Speed, BYD Group Is Putting Together A Show