CATL has deployed a humanoid robot on one of its battery production lines following a strategic cooperation agreement with Chinese robotics company Galbot, as the battery manufacturer expands the use of automation in its manufacturing operations.
The companies said the partnership will focus on upgrading intelligent production lines and supporting the broader deployment of embodied-intelligence robots in industrial applications.
Humanoid Robot Enters Production
The collaboration centers on the Galbot S1 humanoid robot, which CATL said is powered by one of the company’s battery systems.
The robot has a dual-arm payload capacity of 50 kilograms and is equipped with vision-based positioning and obstacle avoidance capabilities designed for industrial environments.
According to CATL, the robot has entered regular operation on one of its battery production lines, where it performs tasks including material handling and component picking during battery module and battery pack manufacturing.
The company said the battery system supports up to eight hours of operation while meeting safety and durability requirements for continuous factory use.
Expanding Intelligent Manufacturing
CATL and Galbot said they will also collaborate on after-sales support for industrial robots by extending CATL’s existing Ning Service platform, which currently provides battery inspection, maintenance and recycling services.
The companies aim to develop a service framework for embodied-intelligence robots as part of the partnership.
The latest deployment builds on CATL’s earlier automation initiatives. The company previously introduced a humanoid robot, developed by Spirit AI, on a battery pack production line at its manufacturing facility in Luoyang, Henan Province, where it performs functional testing before battery packs leave the production line.
Growing Investment in Robotics
Galbot is currently the only embodied-intelligence robotics company in which CATL has invested.
The robotics developer announced in March that it had completed a RMB2.5 billion (US$368 million) financing round.
Founded in 2023 by Peking University researcher Wang He, Galbot develops foundation models designed to enable robots to perceive, make decisions and perform tasks autonomously in physical environments.
According to market research firm SNE Research, CATL remained the world’s largest electric vehicle battery supplier during the first four months of the year, with global battery installations totaling 141.4GWh, representing a 40.1% market share.