China’s ENGINEAI Opens Humanoid Robot Factory, Aims to Build One Every 15 Minutes

Chinese robotics company ENGINEAI has opened a new smart manufacturing facility in Shenzhen to scale up production of humanoid robots as competition in the sector intensifies.

The company said the first batch of its T800 humanoid robots has already rolled off the production line at the Honghualing manufacturing base. According to ENGINEAI, the 129,000-square-foot facility combines quality control, component testing, assembly, logistics, and after-sales operations into one integrated workflow.

The company claims the setup allows it to complete one humanoid robot every 15 minutes while maintaining consistent production standards. Before leaving the factory, each robot reportedly undergoes 79 quality inspections and 46 simulation tests to evaluate durability, stability, and performance under various working conditions, according to a report by Interesting Engineering.

From prototype to production

ENGINEAI’s rapid scale-up comes as the company moves from early demonstrations into industrial manufacturing.

Founded in 2023 and based in Shenzhen, the firm develops a range of machines, including the T800 heavy-duty humanoid, the PM01 humanoid, the SA02 companion robot, and the JS01 quadruped robot. Its focus is increasingly shifting toward industrial and inspection use cases, where robots are expected to handle repetitive, labor-intensive tasks.

The new Shenzhen base is positioned as a key step toward delivering up to 10,000 units as production ramps up. The factory launch follows a major funding boost earlier this year. In April, ENGINEAI completed a Series B round that raised $200 million, pushing its valuation above 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion).

The company says the capital will support manufacturing expansion, research, and commercialization of its robotics systems, according to Interesting Engineering.

China’s humanoid competition intensifies

ENGINEAI’s expansion comes as Chinese robotics firms race to prove they can move beyond flashy demos and into reliable mass manufacturing.

The company is also expanding outside Shenzhen. ENGINEAI said it is planning a global smart manufacturing headquarters in Zhengzhou, Henan province, where another production line capable of producing 10,000 units is currently under development. The Zhengzhou facility is expected to work closely with regional suppliers while supporting broader adoption of humanoid robots in industrial and inspection work.

With T800 pre-orders starting at around $25,000, ENGINEAI is entering an aggressive pricing war. It faces stiff domestic competition from Chinese firms like Unitree, UBTECH, and AGIBOT, the latter of which recently claimed to pass the 10,000-unit milestone, as well as American rivals like Figure and 1X, which are similarly flexing their factory throughput.

For more on how humanoid robots are moving into real-world industrial settings, read our coverage of Hyundai’s plans to bring Atlas robots into factories.