Humanoid Robot Battery Production — CATL Achieves A World First - CleanTechnica
First of all, yes, these humanoid robots have apparently replaced human workers. In fact, one robot’s daily workload is reportedly triple that of a human worker…. These humanoid robots are being deployed at CATL’s battery factory in Luoyang, Henan.
Key takeaways
The most recent developments show humanoid robots moving from prototypes to large‑scale industrial use and public demonstrations. In December 2025 European chipmaker STMicroelectronics announced a partnership with Italy’s Oversonic Robotics to roll out its cognitive humanoid, RoBee, across its global semiconductor plants, marking what is believed to be the first integration of humanoid robots directly into semiconductor manufacturing. At the same time, Chinese battery giant CATL has become the world’s first battery producer to deploy humanoid robots at scale in its Luoyang factory, where the “Xiaomo” units now handle complex tasks such as battery connector insertion and adaptive force control, reportedly delivering three times the workload of a human worker. Chinese companies are also scaling production: UBTech plans to ship 500 industrial robots this year and increase its humanoid output to 5,000 units in 2026, while AgiBot celebrated the rollout of its 5,000th humanoid robot from its Shanghai line. Xpeng unveiled a second‑generation humanoid called “Iron” at the IAA auto show in Munich and said mass production will start next year. In the broader market, Elon Musk’s Optimus robot remains a focal point, with Musk forecasting “insatiable” demand and Tesla targeting one million units per year by 2030, a goal echoed by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang who predicts the technology is on the cusp of breakthrough. However, industry observers caution that the hype may outpace reality; the Wall Street Journal notes that despite $5 billion of investment this year, many startups still lack the manipulation, safety and autonomy needed for reliable commercial deployment, and IEEE Spectrum’s 2025 review warns that significant technical hurdles remain. Security concerns have also surfaced: researchers from the Chinese Darknavy group demonstrated that a commercial Unitree humanoid can be compromised through voice commands and used to infect nearby units, highlighting the need for robust safeguards as these machines become more common.
First of all, yes, these humanoid robots have apparently replaced human workers. In fact, one robot’s daily workload is reportedly triple that of a human worker….
These humanoid robots are being deployed at CATL’s battery factory in Luoyang, Henan. “CATL (HKG: 3750, SHE: 300750) has become the world’s first battery manufacturer to deploy humanoid robots at scale in battery pack production, replacing human labor in several critical processes,” CnEVPost writes. “Named ‘Xiaomo’ (or Little Mo), the humanoid robot can now precisely execute complex tasks like battery connector insertion, marking a milestone breakthrough in applying embodied intelligence to manufacturing, the company said.” (Note that another Chinese site, CarNewsChina, “The humanoid robot autonomously handles uncertainties like material position deviations and connection point variations, dynamically adjusting its operational posture in real time. When inserting or removing flexible wiring harnesses, it dynamically modulates force to ensure reliable connections without damaging components.”
CarNewsChina adds: “According to CATL, the robot excels in three key areas:
Mentioned in this article