UBTech to Expand Humanoid Robot Output 10-Fold as Production Costs Plunge
- tech360.tv
- Nov 20, 2025
- 2 min read
UBTech Robotics plans to expand its assembly of humanoid robots tenfold in 2026, aiming for as many as 5,000 units, and then doubling that to 10,000 units in 2027. This ambitious growth is driven by scale economics which reduce production costs by a fifth annually.
Michael Tam, UBTech’s chief branding officer, stated the Shenzhen-based company was on track to deliver 500 humanoid robots for industrial use by the end of this year. This follows the delivery of the first 10 droids last year.
Tam expects manufacturing costs to decline 20% to 30% annually, attributing this to China’s supply chain shift towards humanoid robotics and collaboration with suppliers. Customer demand "far exceeds" current production capabilities, Tam noted.
The chief branding officer believes the unit production cost could fall to under USD 20,000 by roughly 2027 to 2030. UBTech, as the maker of the Walker S2 humanoid, underscores how China’s robotic companies are reaching a watershed moment, helped by falling production costs.
More than 90% of the humanoid robot components are made in China, with the exception of certain computing chips, Tam said. The quality of locally made high-precision parts, such as motor systems, ball screws, and spiral bevel gears, is rapidly improving due to the strength of China’s electric-vehicle supply chain.
UBTech, the maker of the Walker S2 humanoid robot, which features the world’s first self-replacing battery capability, currently operates two factories. These facilities are located in Shenzhen and Liuzhou, Guangxi province.
Tam described UBTech as one of the "very few robotics companies with full-stack capabilities," combining research, manufacturing, and sales under one roof. Earlier this month, the company secured over 800 million yuan, or USD 112 million, in orders for its Walker S2 humanoids.
These robots are sold to diverse clientele, including data-collection centres and automotive manufacturers. For the past 20 months, UBTech’s humanoid robots have undergone real-world training in factories operated by FAW-Audi, FAW-Volkswagen, BAIC New Energy, Geely Automotive, and BYD.
Further training occurred at logistics giant SF Express and electronics manufacturer Foxconn. The robots were tested across three core scenarios: material handling, quality inspection, and item sorting.
Tam explained that increased deployments lead to more real-world data collection, enriching simulation data. This creates "a positive feedback loop that accelerates our embodied-AI capabilities.”
UBTech’s interim loss narrowed 18.5% to 440 million yuan. This improvement was supported by a 27.5% revenue increase to 621 million yuan and a 17.3% gain in pre-tax profit at 217 million yuan.
The Hong Kong-listed company closed unchanged at HKD 123. It held a market value of HKD 58 billion, or USD 7.45 billion.
UBTech plans a tenfold increase in humanoid robot production by 2026, aiming for 5,000 units, and 10,000 units by 2027.
Production costs are expected to decline 20% to 30% annually, with unit costs potentially falling below USD 20,000 by 2027 to 2030.
More than 90% of the robots' components are made in China, leveraging the country’s advanced manufacturing and electric-vehicle supply chain.
Source: SCMP
