Thomas, founder and host at AsiaBits, explains how Chinese phone makers and robotics firms are scaling humanoids, expanding into Europe, and influencing manufacturing plans in Japan.
At Beijing’s World Humanoid Robot Games, Honor’s 169-centimeter robot Shandian ran 100 meters in 8.9 seconds, ahead of Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second record. Thomas says Honor adapted phone technologies, including a liquid cooling loop, graphite layers, and folding-phone components; the robot reportedly ran hard for 50 minutes while staying below 65°C. Honor’s robotics team has more than 200 people, but Thomas notes its robots have not yet entered factory work.
Shanghai-based AgiBot, founded in 2023 by former Huawei executive Deng Taihua and engineer and creator Peng Zhihui, says it has produced 15,000 robots by June 2026. Thomas reports that one unit is already working on a Longcheer phone production line, and the company says its annual capacity exceeds 100,000. Its European sales rely largely on local distributors, with subscriptions helping customers manage the current purchase cost.
Thomas describes Chinese robot makers entering overseas markets with humanoids, robot components, and logistics automation. He says AgiBot has operations across several European markets and expects Europe to contribute 8% of its revenue in 2026. For European distributors, he flags conformity and data rules, including CE marking, the Machinery Regulation, the AI Act, and GDPR, as responsibilities that bring both cost and commercial opportunity.
Mitsubishi Motors and University of Tokyo spinout Highlanders signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2026. Mitsubishi plans to test Highlanders’ humanoid M in its factories, gather operating data, and assess production at an underused Kyoto engine plant, with early 2027 as a feasibility milestone. Thomas cautions that reports differ on whether output could reach 1,000 robots monthly or 1,000 across the year; Mitsubishi’s release gives no production target.
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