Zero-Run Automobile (HK: 09863), during its 2026 mid-year results investor conference call on August 24, confirmed that the company is actively planning to enter the robotics sector. Li Tengfei, Vice President of Zero-Run, stated during the call that "new energy vehicle companies, especially those with full-stack self-research and development capabilities, are among the most well-positioned to do robotics." He added that specific information would be announced formally soon.
The confirmation comes amid an accelerating wave of automotive-to-robotics pivots among Chinese new energy vehicle companies. XPeng has already secured over $900 million in external funding for its humanoid robotics business, while Leapmotor, NIO, and Xiaomi have each signaled robotics ambitions. The convergence of EV and robotics is driven by shared technological foundations: battery management systems, precision motor control, sensor fusion, and AI-powered decision-making are all core competencies of modern EV development that transfer directly to robotics applications.
Zero-Run's financial results for the first half of 2026 showed robust health: total revenue reached 38.11 billion yuan, with net profit increasing approximately 600% year-on-year. The company also revealed that a technical launch event on September 16 would bring "heavyweight technologies" in autonomous driving, battery, and electric drive systems, with a new architecture promising "leapfrog improvements" over existing products.
Industry analysts note that Zero-Run's full-stack R&D model — encompassing battery systems, electronic control units, intelligent cockpit, and autonomous driving — positions it well for the EV-to-robotics transition. The company's proven ability to develop and manufacture core EV components in-house provides a foundation for robotic hardware development that many pure-play robotics startups lack.
Image: Humanoid robot technology. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
