BYD, the world's largest electric-vehicle maker, will unveil its first humanoid robots in August at its Di Space experience centres, the Shenzhen company confirmed on July 31, 2026. The move formally puts China's EV giants — with BYD, XPENG, Li Auto and Xiaomi all pursuing production-grade humanoids — on a collision course with Tesla's Optimus.
From Di Space Showrooms To Physical AI
BYD told the South China Morning Post that the robots will be "more than just a concept product" and will interact with visitors inside its Di Space centres, the immersive tech-and-vehicle showrooms it uses to launch new products. The company has not disclosed the model name, production volume or price. Stella Li, BYD's executive vice-president, said in June the company had made "a huge investment in AI" and predicted China would become the first market to see "full commercialisation of humanoid robots."
Chinese EV Makers Pile Into Humanoids
BYD's debut lands as China's other EV majors ramp up their own humanoid programs. XPENG said this month it expects to build more than 1,000 units a month of its Iron humanoid by year-end, ahead of a 2027 global launch. Li Auto, Xiaomi and Tesla are all in different stages of production. Analysts see the humanoid supply chain as one where China already has the lead — nearly 100 domestic makers now account for more than 70% of the global market, according to Gaogong Robot Industry Research Institute data.
Tesla Optimus And A Geopolitical Overhang
Tesla's China president Allan Wang said earlier this year the Shanghai Gigafactory could eventually manufacture Optimus, though the robot is not yet commercialised. The competitive picture darkened for Chinese exporters this week when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission effectively banned imports of new humanoid and quadruped robot models from certain countries including China — a move widely read as a response to Beijing's rapid progress in embodied AI. For related context, see coverage on Xiaomi's factory-floor humanoids, Samsung's RX humanoid division, and the broader humanoid unicorn boom.
Reporting based on coverage from the South China Morning Post via The Korea Times, Reuters and Bloomberg.