BYD, the world's biggest EV maker, confirms it's entering the humanoid robot race
The automaker plans to unveil its first humanoid robot this month, following Tesla and a growing list of Chinese manufacturers into the space.
BYD confirmed plans to unveil its first humanoid robot in August, putting the world's largest EV manufacturer directly into a race that already includes Tesla, Unitree, Figure and a fast-growing list of Chinese robotics manufacturers.
The move isn't a surprising pivot so much as an obvious one: BYD already runs some of the world's most heavily automated EV factories and has deep in-house expertise in batteries, motors and precision manufacturing — most of the hard components a humanoid robot actually needs.
Automakers turning into robotics companies has become one of 2026's clearer industrial patterns. The manufacturing know-how, supply chains and capital required to build a car at scale turn out to transfer remarkably well to building a robot that can work inside one.