A major step in robotics innovation was showcased on Tuesday after Chinese company Unitree Robotics introduced a manned “mecha” capable of switching between 2-legged walking and 4-legged movement modes.
Named GD01, the robot resembles a machine from the Transformers franchise and has been designed as a civilian transport system. Built using high-strength alloy materials, the machine weighs around 500 kg with a pilot inside and carries a starting price of 3.9 million yuan, equal to nearly US$573,674.
A demonstration video released by the company showed the GD01 walking in humanoid form while carrying a pilot in a cockpit mounted inside its torso. The robot was also seen knocking down a brick wall before transforming into a 4-legged crawling mode.
Unitree Robotics described the GD01 as the world’s first mass-produced “transformable mecha.”
The launch further strengthens the position of Chinese robotics companies, which are rapidly expanding in the global humanoid robot market. According to research firm Omdia, Chinese firms accounted for nearly 90% of global humanoid robot sales in 2025.
Reports stated that Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots in the previous year. In comparison, US companies including Tesla, Figure AI and Agility Robotics reportedly shipped around 150 humanoid robots each during the same period.
Chinese-made humanoid robots are also entering the market at lower prices than Western competitors. Unitree’s entry-level R1 humanoid is priced at nearly US$6,000, while Chinese rival AgiBot offers a simplified model for around US$14,000. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had earlier estimated that Tesla’s Optimus robot could eventually cost between US$20,000 and US$30,000.
Unitree is also expanding globally through Alibaba’s AliExpress platform, targeting markets such as North America, Europe and Japan. The company’s robots are already being tested in logistics operations, including baggage and cargo handling trials by Japan Airlines at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
In March, Unitree filed for an IPO on Shanghai’s Star Market and said nearly 85% of its planned 4.2 billion yuan fundraising would support robotics research and development.
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