Скачать или смотреть Skynet is here! China's Engine AI Terminator T800 Humanoid Robot STUNS in Beijing (Best of WRC 2025)

EngineAI rocked the robotics world when it emerged from seemingly out of nowhere in fall 2024 with its full-sized robotic humanoid and its freakishly humanlike walking gait. It immediately set a new benchmark for lifelike bipedal locomotion.

Zhao Tongyang, who previously founded the Shenzhen startup Dog-ottix, launched Engine in 2023 after leaving Xpeng, where he led the EV maker’s humanoid robotics program. At a recent conference in Beijing, he said that nailing the robot’s walking gait was the first non-negotiable milestone before emerging from stealth.

Engine followed its flagship robot, the SE01, with a shorter, lower end model called the PM01. Its pricing, starting around $14K, was notable for undercutting Unitree’s then record-low pricing for its short G1 humanoid. The robotics firm has since gained exposure far outside the usual tech echo chambers thanks to its viral videos like this homage to the 2004 cult classic, Kung Fu Hustle, and its dance collaboration with the popular streamer I Show Speed.

Now, Engine is moving toward mass production with significant financial backing. According to reports, Engine secured nearly 1 billion yuan, or around $139 million, in total funding across two recent rounds. The financing was led by the Xpeng-affiliated Rockets Capital and JD.com, which is one of China’s largest retailers.

The reports say Engine is aiming for a $1 billion valuation.

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