Tesla’s Chinese EV competitors are racing to build their own Optimus rivals

Xpeng’s Iron robot has been in development for five years, according to the company.

Tesla is facing fierce competition in China from local EV makers — and now they’re building their own versions of Elon Musk’s Optimus robot.

Electric vehicle startup Xpeng unveiled its Iron robot last week, a nearly 6-foot tall robot that the company said was already working in its factories and stores.

Iron is Xpeng’s latest foray into science fiction-tech, with the company also working on flying cars.

Iron, which Xpeng said had been in development for five years, shares AI technology with the company’s EVs, and has over 60 joints with more than 200 degrees of freedom.

It’s the latest foray into science fiction from Xpeng, which has taken the fight to Tesla in China with its array of high-tech electric vehicles.

The company also unveiled a new hybrid system that promises 1,400km or 870 miles in combined range, as well as its latest intelligent driving systems and the “Land Aircraft Carrier,” a modular flying car that goes on sale in December.

Xpeng is not the only Tesla rival turning to mechanical workers. In June, Automaker Dongfeng Motors struck a deal with Chinese robotics firm Ubtech to deploy its human-like robots on production lines.

Ubtech said its Walker S robots would be used to inspect seat belts and door locks, perform quality checks, and assemble car axles.

Ubtech’s robots have also been piloted by EV startup Nio, which uses them as ” interns” assisting with car production. The robots are training in the factories of arch-Tesla rival BYD too, per local reports.

Another of Ubtech’s robots, the Cruzr commercial service robot, has helped launch BYD’s products and has been deployed and tested as a mechanical salesperson in the company’s South American stores.

The scramble to incorporate humanoid robots comes as Elon Musk touts Tesla’s Optimus robot.

The billionaire has described Optimus as Tesla’s most important product.

The robot played a starring role at Tesla’s robotaxi unveiling in October, with a fleet of Optimus bots, partly controlled by humans, serving drinks and interacting with attendees,

Away from the robot arms race, Tesla’s electric vehicle business is coming under increasing pressure in China, with sales declining year over year in October even as rivals BYD, Zeekr, and Xpeng boom.