The Chinese company Unitree Robotics just presented the GD01, a manned robot that combines bipedal locomotion with movement on four limbs. Wow, a mecha that seems straight out of the movies but already has a price and production date.
It already exists and can be purchased. According to Unitree, the GD01 is a high-strength alloy machine that weighs about 500 kilos with a pilot on board. To control it, simply place yourself in the cabin that incorporates the torso. Its starting price is 3.9 million yuan (about 538,000 euros at the current exchange rate). The company defines it as the world’s first mass-produced transformable mecha.
What it can do. In the video published The company shows the GD01 walking upright on two legs and knocking down a brick wall with one hand. Next, the robot reconfigures its chassis and begins to move supported by four limbs, literally like a Transformers.
China and robotics. The GD01 comes at a time when Chinese robotics companies are gaining ground notably compared to its American competitors, driven by lower production costs and greater manufacturing speed.
According to consulting firm Omdia, Chinese companies accounted for almost 90% of global sales of humanoid robots in 2025. Unitree alone shipped more than 5,500 units last year, according to share SCMP, compared to the approximately 150 units shipped by each of the large American firms such as Tesla, Figure AI or Agility Robotics.
The price gap. Unitree’s humanoid entry robot, the R1it costs around 5,500 euros to change. Its Chinese rival AgiBot has a simplified model for about 12,800 euros. And on the other hand, Elon Musk has estimated that the Tesla Optimus It could cost between $20,000 and $30,000 in the future. The GD01 is a different bet from the rest, especially to provide maneuverability in industrial environments.
Unitree is in full expansion. The company already sells its R1 and G1 humanoid robots, as well as the Go2 robot dog, in international markets such as North America, Europe and Japan through AliExpress. Their robots have begun to appear in all kinds of environments and events (in fact we brought one in the last Xataka Awards).
In March, Unitree also requested to go public in the Chinese market, with a financing plan of about 4.2 billion yuan, of which 85% would go to research and development.
The question that remains in the air. The GD01 is, for now, a demonstration of technological capacity and a declaration of intent. It is also a really eye-catching product, which is precisely what the company is looking for: notoriety. It is certainly achieving it, although it is still up in the air whether its technological capabilities exceed those currently found in the industrial environments for which it is intended. Now, what’s cool is cool.
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