This discrepancy reflects the development priorities of both sectors: humanoid robot OEMs see batteries as critical components, but not yet top-tier R&D priorities.
Battery companies view humanoid robots as a frontier for long-term growth, with today’s efforts focused on technology pilots and strategic positioning.
This article analyses key developments from both perspectives and explores how deeper cross-industry collaboration could reshape value across both chains.
The humanoid robot perspective: Batteries matter, but are not yet a core priority
Batteries underpin the critical function of energy supply for humanoid robots. However, given that the humanoid robot market is in the early stages of development, priorities for vendors still lie in scenario adoption and rapid technological development.
In terms of configuration, battery solutions vary significantly depending on the robot structure. Bipedal humanoid robots are constrained by torso space and weight, generally carrying less than 1,000Wh. For example, Tesla’s Optimus V2 uses a 2.3kWh battery system, offering only around two hours of dynamic runtime, while Unitree’s H1 is equipped with 864Wh and delivers less than four hours of static operation.
In contrast, wheeled humanoids benefit from larger internal space and lower power consumption for locomotion. They typically use batteries above 1,500Wh, enabling more than six hours of runtime.
Technologically, NCM/NCA (nickel cobalt manganese and nickel cobalt aluminium oxides) lithium-ion batteries dominate due to higher energy density.
LFP (lithium-ion phosphate) battery technology offers a cost advantage and is applied in scenarios requiring lower endurance or simpler functions, such as voice interaction.
Battery technology used in humanoid robots
The industry is exploring two practical routes to bridging energy gaps:
• Co-development of battery swapping and fast charging: companies such as Fourier Intelligence, Leju Robotics, and Apptronik are deploying dual-battery-swapping solutions to support long-duration tasks
• Advances in high-energy-density technologies: SoftStone’s Tianhe C1 adopts quasi-solid-state batteries, while XPENG’s IRON robot features all-solid-state batteries
However, these developments are peripheral to the humanoid robot market, for two key reasons:
Scenario adoption precedes power optimisation. Humanoid robots have yet to reach large-scale, commercial deployment, and PMF (Product-Market Fit) remains undefined.
Runtime improvements do not resolve challenges in autonomous capability, efficiency, and operational reliability.
If the problem with a robot is basic usability, better batteries do not meaningfully assist in its progress towards commercialisation.
Robot architecture is evolving too fast at present to determine which battery technology will prove dominant.
With ongoing changes in joint actuation designs, form factors (bipedal/wheeled/hybrid), thermal management solutions, and edge AI power consumption, future space allocation and discharge requirements remain uncertain.
As Figure AI emphasised during the F.03 launch, off-the-shelf EV batteries cannot be directly reused, and customised batteries must wait until robot system architecture stabilises. Therefore, OEMs currently de-risk their choice of battery, while prioritising fundamental aspects of system performance.
The Li-ion battery perspective: Humanoids offer future benefits, but the current scale is tiny
From the perspective of battery manufacturers, the rise of humanoid robots comes at the right time – EV demand growth is slowing, and solid-state battery technologies require validation scenarios.
While humanoid robots offer both a catalyst to upgrade lithium-ion battery technology and a future growth market, the near-term commercial impact remains extremely limited.
According to Interact Analysis’s research, shipments of lithium batteries for robots (including mobile robots and consumer robots) reached approximately 5.2GWh in 2024, accounting for less than 0.4 percent of global Li-ion shipments.
Furthermore, we estimate global shipments of humanoid robots exceeded 10,000 units in 2025, equivalent to only 20MWh of total demand, rendering the current market economically negligible.
At present, deployment of humanoid robots is dominated by sample deliveries and small-batch supply.
China-based Azure supplies batteries for Unitree’s quadrupeds and its H1 humanoid, while EVE Energy and Farasis Energy have announced strategic cooperation and pilot deliveries. However, these orders remain financially insignificant for major battery producers.
Robotics contributed 5.7 percent of shipments within the consumer battery segment in 2024 (covering 3C electronics, light EVs, drones, and robots), with this proportion expected to increase to 11.6 percent by 2030
From a technical perspective, humanoid robots are becoming a catalyst for battery innovation. Their simultaneous requirements for high-rate output, high energy density, high safety, and long cycle life force accelerated development in materials and cell design.
Farasis has delivered sulphide solid-state sample cells to humanoid robot clients, and EVE has launched its “Longquan No. 2” solid-state solution targeting high-end equipment such as humanoid robots and eVTOLs.
Meanwhile, EngineAI’s T800 and XPENG’s IRON debuted with solid-state batteries installed, validating their technological feasibility still further.
That said, some battery suppliers highlight humanoids more for storytelling than substance, with a noticeable gap between announcements and practical investment.
This trend reflects both the competitive pressure of the EV market and the race to capture new growth opportunities such as humanoid robotics and the low-altitude economy.
Final thoughts
For lithium-ion batteries and humanoid robots to transition from a symbolic association to mutual value-creation, both sides must deepen cooperation.
From the demand side, humanoid robot adoption must shift from technology demos toward scenario-specific scale-up.
Real operational data will help refine battery requirements in terms of energy density, discharge power, and cycle life to enable precise targeting of battery technology.
From the supply side, battery manufacturers must actively participate in robot platform co-development, working closely with OEMs to design application-ready battery systems for industrial and commercial scenarios.
At the same time, continuous improvement in performance and cost – especially in solid-state batteries – will help eliminate power bottlenecks in humanoid robotics and unlock a substantial incremental market.
At present, this “mutual commitment” remains in its infancy. For companies in both sectors, rational planning and technology investment are far more meaningful than chasing short-term market hype.