{"id":"9c10a8e8-1954-4965-8c9b-cd59330d335a","url":"https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3366417/chinas-tesla-imitators-have-new-mission-build-affordable-humanoid-robots-consumers","domain":"scmp.com","outlet":{"name":"South China Morning Post","country":"HK","cred":4,"lean":0,"curated":true,"owner":"Alibaba Group"},"title":"China’s ‘Tesla imitators’ have a new mission: build affordable humanoid robots for consumers","plainHeadline":"Chinese EV makers expand into affordable humanoid robots amid tech rivalry","rewrite":{"model":null,"at":null},"summary":["Nio’s William Li links robotics to future carmaking and AI-driven perception.","Over 10 Chinese intelligent-vehicle firms are venturing into robotics, labeled as imitators of Tesla.","Robotics and smart EVs share supply chains, with cameras, radar, and software overlapping.","BYD and Xpeng are highlighted as key players moving toward mass-produced humanoid robots.","Analysts expect China to lead in humanoid robotics, supported by government and manufacturing scale."],"topics":["AI","Economy"],"lang":"eng","publishedAt":"2026-09-07T02:00:19.000Z","ingestedAt":"2026-09-07T02:28:40.131Z","story":"https://brief.concise.news/story/3c1f2e9c-1d21-4293-952e-c7f831062025","storyId":"3c1f2e9c-1d21-4293-952e-c7f831062025","image":"https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/09/04/87d86adb-edb6-4de5-9241-fab28cb8d201_86e41c07.jpg?itok=yRnhYRBk&v=1788519924","author":"Daniel Ren","dek":"When Nio CEO William Li outlined earnings prospects for the Shanghai-based carmaker in March, he could not help but liken the automotive business to the development of robots."}