South Korean media: "Affordable and immediately available" — Chinese humanoids sell 100 units per month in the U.S., rapidly spreading nationwide

On the 25th of last month, local time, more than 30 wooden crates, each about 1.5 meters long and 60 centimeters high, were stacked inside a warehouse in Mountain View, California, USA. Each crate was tightly packed with double-layered packaging containing humanoid robots from China's Yujie Technology. These robots have been confirmed for shipment to North America; on that day alone, four units were dispatched to clients including tech companies in Silicon Valley. Over 100 units were sold within a single month.

This is the official partner company and startup of American Yujie Technology:

Toborlife AI’s warehouse. Toborlife AI CEO David Schurhoff said: “In just one year operating in the North American market, we’ve already reached nearly 1,000 customers. In the U.S., demand for Chinese humanoid robots far exceeds supply — there’s no need to worry about the future for several years.”

Across the United States, Chinese-made humanoid robots are rapidly expanding their presence. Amid intense technological competition between China and the U.S. in the humanoid robotics sector, Chinese companies have taken the lead in commercialization thanks to strong hardware quality and pricing advantages, successfully penetrating the market of their biggest competitor — the United States. Analysts suggest that this rapid expansion may position Chinese humanoid robots as the de facto standard platform globally.

Visiting the startup supplying Chinese robots to the U.S.

Founded in 2024, Toborlife AI is not merely a middleman reselling Yujie Technology’s robots. After importing Yujie’s so-called “canned” robots, the company installs its own proprietary software or customizes them according to client needs. This is akin to fitting a robot made in China with a brain developed in the U.S. In fact, during our visit to Toborlife AI’s warehouse, we found a dedicated robot training facility. To prevent damage from falls, robots repeatedly practice walking, natural conversation, sitting on chairs, and other movements within an enclosed area surrounded by iron fencing.

The company also handles after-sales service (AS). To provide direct repairs and technical support in the U.S., Toborlife AI has already stocked hardware engineers and key spare parts. Thus, when a client’s robot breaks down, there’s no need to send it back to China, nor does the client require additional personnel for maintenance. A company representative said: “When deploying humanoid robots on-site, the most vulnerable and frequently failing component is the multi-joint hand. We’ve established close relationships with hand part suppliers, ensuring stable access to required components.”

"Rare Glimpse of Humanoid Robots in America"

Many of the U.S. customers purchasing Chinese-made robots are universities, research institutions, and startups. The reason they buy these robots? They have no real alternative. CEO Schurhoff stated: “For American competitors’ humanoid robots, unless you’re a major enterprise like BMW, it’s extremely difficult to even see them in person.” The overwhelming cost-performance ratio is another key advantage of Chinese robots. According to the company’s website, Yujie Technology’s flagship robot, the “G1,” is priced at around $16,000 (approximately 24 million KRW), primarily sold in bulk to B2B clients — significantly cheaper than American counterparts priced at tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Recently, demand for Chinese-made robots has expanded into actual industrial sites. More and more ordinary enterprises want to purchase large numbers of robots and deploy them immediately. Therefore, after about two years in business, Toborlife AI plans to open offices in Los Angeles, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, later this year.

Will Chinese Humanoid Robots Become the Standard?

Analysts believe Chinese humanoid robots could become the standard platform in the future. Since Chinese robots were first deployed in U.S. research and development sites, and since U.S. AI research on robots now relies on Chinese hardware, relevant software, data, and development tools may increasingly be built around Chinese products.

Analysts draw parallels with the drone market, where DJI from China has become the de facto standard. Chinese products entered the market with low prices and strong performance, then built an ecosystem and became the benchmark — a similar trend may unfold in the humanoid robotics market.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869941534275584/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s).