As humanoid robots are launched in both South Korea and China, narrowing the existing price gap has become a challenge for the domestic industry. The prices of Hyundai Motor Group's 'Atlas' and China's Unitree 'H2' differ by more than four times. With Chinese companies leveraging large-scale production systems to gain a foothold in the global market, there are calls for South Korea to secure differentiated production technology.
According to industry sources on September 29, Chinese robotics company Unitree has been releasing mid-range humanoids to the market. The flagship full-size humanoid H2 is priced at $29,900 (approximately 42 million won), and this month, a lower-tier model, 'G1+', was introduced at $15,000 (about 21 million won).
The full-size humanoid H2 is comparable in size to Boston Dynamics' Atlas. H2 stands 182 cm tall and weighs 70 kg, while Atlas is 190 cm tall and weighs 90 kg, showing no significant difference in appearance. While Atlas is focused on industrial tasks such as transporting and assembling parts, H2 is designed for both industrial and research and development purposes.
With China continuously launching humanoids at the level of complete vehicles, attention is turning to the future pricing of Atlas. The sales price for Atlas has not yet been disclosed. Goldman Sachs, in a report on the Korean robotics industry published in June, projected that Atlas would initially sell for $120,000 (approximately 170 million won) but could drop to about $70,000 (approximately 100 million won) as production scales up. Hyundai Motor Group plans to establish a robot production system in the U.S. with an annual capacity of 30,000 units by 2028. Even if prices decrease as Goldman Sachs predicts, they would still be more than double the current price of H2.
The significant price difference is attributed to the mass production system established by Chinese companies. The average selling price of Unitree's humanoids has decreased as production volume has increased. According to the investment prospectus submitted for its initial public offering (IPO), the average selling price of humanoids dropped from 593,400 yuan in 2023 to 166,400 yuan (approximately 33 million won) last year, a decline of about 72% over two years.
There are concerns that Hyundai Motor Group must accelerate the establishment of a mass production system for Atlas. China, having succeeded in internalizing its manufacturing lines, has already secured a dominant position in the global market. According to market research firm Smart Analytics Global (SAG), approximately 19,100 humanoid robots were shipped globally in the first half of this year, with Chinese companies accounting for over 97%. The market share of U.S. companies, including Tesla, is less than 3%. As domestic companies delay their market entry, there are fears that Chinese firms will continue to dominate the global market, making it increasingly difficult for others to catch up.
Experts emphasize the need to enhance the competitiveness of foundational industries, including key components and production facilities, to create a unique differentiation for South Korea. Professor Kwak Moon-kyu of Kyungpook National University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering stated, "In the past, price competitiveness was primarily cited as the advantage of Chinese robots, but recently, they have reached a level where they are not significantly lagging in performance. The government needs to provide long-term support to expand the technological capabilities required for robots and strengthen the industrial base."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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