Humanoid Robots are making Humanoid Robots?
China’s electric car maker XPENG has started production at a new automated factory in Guangzhou where robots and machines are used to build its IRON humanoid robots.
XPENG says more than 80% of the factory’s main production processes are automated. The company calls it the world’s first automated production line specifically designed for advanced general-purpose humanoid robots.
The first IRON robot made on the line was shown walking away from the production line on its own after assembly.
IRON is 173 cm tall and weighs 65 kg. It has 76 degrees of freedom, including 21 in each hand, allowing it to perform complex movements and handle objects.
XPENG plans to begin mass production by the end of 2026. The company plans to first use the robots in its own stores and campuses, before selling and delivering them in China and overseas markets in 2027.
XPENG’s robotics business also raised more than $900 million in August, giving it a valuation of more than $6.3 billion.
The new XPENG factory shows how companies are moving humanoid robots from prototypes toward large-scale production.
Author: Saikat Bhattacharya
