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Chinese automakers are following Tesla’s bet that robots are the next big profit machine

Chinese automakers are investing in humanoid robots, mirroring Tesla's strategy. Xpeng's robotics unit raised $900 million, and Chery Automobile is preparing for an IPO. Other automakers like BYD and Changan are also developing humanoid robots.

By Kirsten Korosec·Aug 28·techcrunch.com·1 min read

Intelligence analysis by Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Chinese automakers are following Tesla’s bet that robots are the next big profit machine
Image: techcrunch.com

Chinese automakers are investing in humanoid robots, mirroring Tesla's strategy. Xpeng's robotics unit raised $900 million, and Chery Automobile is preparing for an IPO. Other automakers like BYD and Changan are also developing humanoid robots.

Why it matters

This investment in humanoid robots could lead to significant advancements in the automotive industry and could reshape the future of transportation.

Chinese car companies are making robots that look like people. They think these robots will make a lot of money, just like Tesla thinks its robot will make a lot of money.

Analysis

{"heading1":"Xpeng's Robotics Unit","subheading1":"Xpeng's Robotics Unit","paragraph1":"Other Chinese automakers like BYD, Changan, GAC, Li Auto, SAIC, and Seres are also developing humanoid robots. BYD unveiled a humanoid robot called Xiao Di, and Changan is developing a humanoid robot as well.","paragraph2":"These investments in humanoid robots could lead to significant advancements in the automotive industry and could reshape the future of transportation.","paragraph3":"Xpeng co-president Brian Gu invested $100 million into the recent fundraising round, demonstrating their commitment to the robotics unit.","heading2":"Chery Automobile's IPO Preparation","subheading2":"Chery Automobile's IPO Preparation","heading3":"Other Chinese Automakers","subheading3":"Other Chinese Automakers"}

Key points

  • Chinese automakers are investing in humanoid robots
  • Xpeng's robotics unit raised $900 million
  • Chery Automobile is preparing for an IPO
  • Other Chinese automakers like BYD and Changan are also developing humanoid robots
  • These investments could lead to significant advancements in the automotive industry
The Upside

If these investments in humanoid robots are successful, they could lead to new and exciting technologies in the automotive industry, such as safer and more efficient vehicles.

The Downside

If these investments in humanoid robots are unsuccessful, it could lead to wasted resources and time, and the automotive industry may not see the benefits of these investments for years.

Originally reported at

techcrunch.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsroboticschinese-automakershumanoid-robotsteslaautonomous-vehicles

Author

Kirsten Korosec

Intelligence analysis by

Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Published

Aug 28, 2026

Source

techcrunch.com

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Topics

roboticschinese-automakershumanoid-robotsteslaautonomous-vehicles

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