Chinese Humanoids Reach Europe
Unitree Robotics, the Hangzhou-based robot manufacturer best known for its quadruped robots, has secured a European distribution and pilot deployment agreement with DB Schenker, the German logistics giant. The deal brings Unitree's G1 humanoid robot — priced at approximately $16,000 per unit, significantly below Western competitors — into three DB Schenker facilities in Germany and the Netherlands.
G1 Specifications
The Unitree G1 stands 1.32 meters tall and weighs 35 kilograms, making it smaller and lighter than competitors. It offers 23 degrees of freedom, a dexterous hand with 11 DoF per hand, and can lift up to 3 kilograms. Maximum walking speed is 2 m/s. Battery runtime is approximately 2 hours of light operation, charging to full in 1.5 hours.
The Price Disruption
At $16,000, the G1 is priced 85-90% below Boston Dynamics Atlas and 40-50% below Figure AI's planned pricing. Chinese manufacturing cost advantages, combined with Unitree's approach of using off-the-shelf actuator and sensor components rather than custom hardware, enable this price point.
Deployment Scope
DB Schenker is piloting G1 units for carton picking, label application, and goods-to-person station support tasks at its facilities. The pilot involves 8 robots with an option to expand to 50 units if KPIs including pick success rate (>90%) and operational uptime (>85%) are achieved.
Regulatory Considerations
Robot deployment in European workplaces is subject to Machinery Directive requirements, which Unitree has addressed through CE certification of the G1 for industrial use obtained via a German notified body.