China’s robot makers race to roll out cheaper humanoids – but is it sustainable?

A wave of humanoid robot launches in China this year has shaken up the market with eye-catching low prices – though some industry insiders warn the trend might not be financially attainable and could be driven more by hype and capital than by genuine technological progress.

Beijing-based Noetix Robotics launched presales for its child-sized humanoid Bumi last week, selling more than 200 units at 9,998 yuan (US$1,408) each within the first three hours. Five hundred units were sold in the first two days, according to the company.

Marketed as the world’s first “high-performance humanoid under 10,000 yuan”, Bumi stands at 94cm (37 inches) tall, weighs about 12kg (26.5 pounds) and is seen by some as proof that affordable robots are entering the consumer market.

Noetix founder Jiang Zheyuan told reporters at a recent domestic media event that nearly all components were developed in-house, slashing costs. But profit margins are “indeed quite low”, he admitted to reporters.

The company operates a multi-factory production system, with its Beijing facility capable of delivering over 200 units per month. A new plant in Changzhou, Jiangsu province is expected to produce 300 units per month by December, while a third facility in the works could add another 500 units per month. This would bring Noetix’s total capacity to more than 1,000 robots per month, the company said.

Noetix has also completed a nearly 300 million yuan (US$42.3 million) pre-B financing round to support mass production.