According to IDC data, global shipments of humanoid robots in 2025 approached 18,000 units (YoY +508%), with Unitree Robotics ranking first globally with an annual shipment of over 5,500 units (market share of 32.4%).
Among them, the G1 is the star product of Unitree's humanoid robots.
The after-tax price of the G1 Base version is only RMB 85,000, and the EDU version ranges from RMB 169,000 to 309,000. It has become an industry benchmark with its ultimate cost control and high-dynamic motion capabilities.
For this reason, since the beginning of this year, multiple authoritative institutions worldwide have conducted in-depth teardown analyses of the G1, including Chinese brokerages, U.S. semiconductor research institutions, Japanese technology media, and engineering consulting firms.
This article summarizes these teardown findings (including report download links).
G1 Basic Specifications:
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Height | 1.32m |
| Total Weight | 35kg |
| Degrees of Freedom (Base Version) | 23 |
| Degrees of Freedom (EDU Version) | 23~43 |
| Max Knee Joint Torque | 90N·m (some sources note 120N·m) |
| Max Single-Arm Payload | 2kg |
| Battery Life | 1~2 hours |
| Base Version Price (After-tax) | RMB 85,000 |
| EDU Version Price | RMB 169,000~309,000 |
| Battery | Lithium battery, 9000mAh, 0.42kWh, weight 2.5kg |
| Main Control Chip | Base version: Rockchip RK3588S; EDU version: additionally equipped with Nvidia Jetson Orin NX (100TOPS) |
| Perception System | DJI LIVOX MID360 3D LiDAR + Intel D435i depth camera + 4-mic array + 5W speaker |
01. Major Teardown Reports and Videos
Research Report 1. China Post Securities — Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot Teardown Report
On March 30, 2026, the Electrical and New Energy team of China Post Securities (Su Qianye / Sheng Wei / Yang Shuaibo) released the "Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot Teardown Report," providing a comprehensive teardown from the perspectives of pricing, cost, supply chain, hardware design, and industry trends.
According to estimates by China Post Securities, the total BOM cost of the G1 (Base version) is approximately RMB 41,600, with an additional processing fee of RMB 3,000, resulting in a gross margin of 40.7%.
| Component | Cost (RMB) |
|---|---|
| Large joints x 9 (RMB 1,500/unit) | 13,500 |
| Small joints x 14 (RMB 1,000/unit) | 14,000 |
| DJI 3D LiDAR | 3,840 |
| Intel Depth Camera | 1,869 |
| Main control board and components | 1,415 |
| Battery | 2,000 |
| Structural parts and casing | 2,500 |
| Power control system | 1,180 |
| Wiring harness system | 270 |
| Other miscellaneous items | 1,000 |
| Total | ≈41,574 |
The report calculates the gross margins for each version of the G1:
The PPT format report can be downloaded by joining the Xueling Reading Club (at the end of the article), or via the cloud drive: https://pan.baidu.com/s/1dEGWFVPIUvGgO_DiQVvKFQ?pwd=psb6
Research Report 2. SemiAnalysis — China's Unitree Will Dominate Global Robotics
On June 9, 2026, SemiAnalysis (a leading research institution in the semiconductor and AI industry chain) dismantled the bill of materials for every part of the G1 one by one, and cross-verified by inquiring prices from each component manufacturer. The median COGS for the G1 EDU Advanced version (29 degrees of freedom) is only $8,976 (approximately RMB 60,700), with a tax-inclusive selling price of $27,300 and a gross margin of 67%.
List of cost composition estimated by SemiAnalysis:
| Subsystem | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Arm actuators (14 sets) | $2,266~2,538 |
| Leg actuators (12 sets) | ≈$2,100+ |
| Waist actuators (3 sets) | $529~599 |
| DJI Livox MID360 LiDAR | $557~577 |
| Intel RealSense D435i | $260~285 |
| Nvidia Jetson NX computing module | $700~770 |
| Battery/power system | $450~480 |
| Integration and testing | $168~192 |
| Median COGS | $8,976 |
Note: Does not include end-effectors (dexterous hands); component prices are continuously adjusted according to suppliers and volume.
In comparison, the Agility Digit costs approximately $130,000 (14.5 times that of the G1), Figure 01 costs approximately $120,000 (13.4 times that of the G1), and Tesla's Optimus costs approximately $131,000 (14.6 times that of the G1).
The original SemiAnalysis report is published at https://newsletter.semianalysis.com/p/chinas-unitree-will-dominate-global, where some sections (dexterous hand analysis, supply chain beneficiary analysis) require a paid subscription to SemiAnalysis to read. The author purchased this report; the paid content is not too extensive. Interested readers can join the Xueling Reading Club (at the end of the article) to download the full report.
Teardown Video 3. Munro Live — Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot Teardown
In mid-to-late June 2026, Munro & Associates (a U.S. engineering consulting firm renowned for its Lean Design methodology) completely tore down the G1 humanoid robot.
Through in-depth analysis of the actuators, motors, and thermal management systems, they discussed how Unitree balances performance, cost, and manufacturability.
Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXuqGuTgXGU
Teardown Video 4. Nikkei xTECH Japan — Complete Teardown of Unitree G1
On July 23, 2026, Nikkei xTECH Japan released a teardown video, where Japanese technicians completely dismantled the G1 from head to toe, focusing on the joint modules, wiring harness layout, and lightweight structure. The technicians expressed amazement throughout the teardown, with the final conclusion being: "China's robotics R&D has surpassed the demonstration stage; it is probably unrealistic for Japan to close the gap in the short term." (The detailed analysis report is about 300 pages and is expected to be released on July 31.) Full teardown video:
Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiHeUckng90
02. Core Hardware of the G1
1. Joint System
The G1 features 23 joints across its body (5 per arm + 1 at the waist + 6 per leg), utilizing a four-in-one integrated module of "motor - two-stage planetary reducer - encoder - driver."
Unitree adopts a QDD (Quasi-Direct Drive) solution — large motors paired with low-ratio planetary gearboxes, rather than the industry mainstream of small motors with large gearboxes (harmonic reducers). This solution offers lower costs (80% cheaper) and higher efficiency (95%~98% vs 85%~90%), but the motors are more prone to overheating.
Joint parameters are as follows:
| Parameter | Small Joint | Large Joint |
|---|---|---|
| Outer Diameter | approx. 60mm | approx. 80mm |
| Height | 70mm | — |
| Weight | 525g | 1,100g |
| Unit Cost | approx. RMB 1,000 | approx. RMB 1,500 |
| Quantity | 14 | 9 |
1) Motor: Uses a low-inertia, high-speed internal rotor permanent magnet synchronous motor with a speed of 3000~5000 RPM, featuring a highly integrated design of "stator winding + permanent magnet steel + integrated rotor hub."
2) Reducer: Two-stage planetary reduction mechanism with a total reduction ratio of approximately 20.58. First stage: 18-tooth sun gear / 14-tooth planet gear / 60-tooth ring gear; Second stage: 16-tooth sun gear / 20-tooth planet gear / 60-tooth ring gear.
3) Encoder: Dual encoders providing precise position and velocity feedback.
4) Driver Board: Circular self-developed PCB (Printed Circuit Board), utilizing FOC (Field-Oriented Control) vector control technology.
5) Bearing: Luoyang Baina thin-section cross roller bearing (CRBT355A 10E4J3), with an inner diameter of 35mm and precision grade 10.
6) Wiring: Hollow internal wiring, with the wiring harness passing through the center of the motor, leaving no exposed wiring on the outside.
2. Control System
Base version: Uses the Rockchip RK3588S main control chip.
EDU version: Additionally equipped with the Nvidia Jetson Orin NX, providing 100 TOPS of edge AI (Artificial Intelligence) computing power.
3. Perception System
1) 3D LiDAR: DJI LIVOX MID360, with 360° horizontal and up to 59° vertical omnidirectional coverage.
2) Depth Camera: Intel RealSense D435i.
3) Audio: 4-mic array + 5W speaker.
4) Communication: Independent MCU (Microcontroller Unit) control board at the head, transmitting high-speed differential signals to the torso main control.
4. Power and Thermal Management
Battery: Lithium battery, 9000mAh, 0.42kWh, weight 2.5kg, battery life 1~2 hours.
Thermal Management: The main control board and hip joints use active air cooling, while the knee joints use vapor chamber (VC) passive cooling. The EDU version adds a VC vapor chamber to handle heat accumulation from high-performance computing. When the temperature exceeds the threshold, a Thermal Derating strategy is triggered. During continuous operation of about 1~2 hours under high-load conditions, the joint motors are prone to overheating and require shutdown for cooling.
5. Wiring Harness and Lightweight Design
Wiring Harness: Hollow joint wiring + standardized interfaces (XT30 power interface / CAN bus), with end capacitor buffering; the total body wiring harness does not exceed 10m.
Lightweight Design: The total weight is 35kg, with joint modules accounting for 49% of the total weight (17.25kg).
Material Strategy: The torso uses large areas of engineering plastics (ABS/PA) + silicone; the limbs use aluminum alloy + topological hollowing; the lower leg linkages use steel (for impact resistance). From the perspective of weight reduction potential, for a single joint, switching to a magnesium-aluminum alloy casing can reduce weight by 30%, and switching to a titanium alloy flange can reduce it by 35%, offering a potential weight reduction of about 48.7g per joint.
03. Conclusion
1) The core hardware of the G1 consists of mature components that are commercially available and mass-producible within the industry; a single piece of hardware itself does not possess an extremely high technical barrier.
Unitree's core competitiveness lies in its self-developed top-tier motion control algorithms, achieving high-dynamic motion performance far exceeding the industry average on a general-purpose hardware platform.
2) Through "full-stack self-development of core components + vertical integration of the industry chain + scaled mass production + lean supply chain management," the gross margin for the Base version is 40.7%, and for the EDU version, it is 63.5%~66.7%. The cost of self-developed motors can be as low as 30%~40% of similar overseas products.
3) Choosing the quasi-direct drive solution (large motor + low-ratio planetary gearbox) results in lower costs and higher efficiency, but early motors frequently overheated. After two years of iteration (optimizing magnet shape, copper wire winding, and adding active cooling), the latest G1 can continuously bear a 5kg load with a bent arm for 15 minutes, representing a 2x increase in payload and a 5x increase in duration compared to the first generation.
4) The G1 primarily targets the commercial rental + education and research markets, mainly used for commercial demonstrations and algorithm R&D support. Due to conservative thermal management, limited end-effector payload, narrowing lightweight design space, and industrialization limitations, it is not suitable for industrial scenarios requiring high payload, high precision, and continuous operation.
Personal opinion, which may not be entirely accurate; discussions are welcome.
I am Xueling, researching the technologies, products, and applications of perception, control, and AI (Artificial Intelligence). Discussions are welcome.
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