The robotics division of China’s largest auto exporter Chery Automobile is gearing up for an IPO to fund future growth and investments, its chief said, as competition intensifies in the Asian giant’s fast-growing humanoid robot sector.
“AiMOGA Robotics is in talks over potential listing venues and expects to sharply increase humanoid robot deliveries next year as it seeks to join the ranks of global robotics heavyweights,” Zhang Guibing, head of the business and president of Chery International, told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Robot Conference in Beijing.
“We’re making the relevant preparations now … and currently in discussions with several (IPO) locations,” he said, while reiterating that a market listing could provide funding for future technology investments while enhancing governance, transparency, and operational standards.
AiMOGA Robotics, if it proceeds with its IPO plans, will follow the separate listing practices of Chery subsidiaries and affiliates. One such venture, auto parts supplier Bethel Automotive, got listed on the Shanghai exchange in 2018, with robotics and automation firm Efort following suit by going public on Shanghai’s STAR Market in 2020.
AiMOGA Robotics also wants to cash on the growing investor enthusiasm for the Chinese robotics industry. Unitree, the country’s best-known humanoid robot maker, soared nearly six-fold in its Shanghai trading debut on Wednesday (August 19), while startup Lumos Robotics is also reportedly considering a stock market listing in 2027.
In fact, China’s robotics industry has become a new battleground in the Sino-US technology rivalry. Automakers and investment firms have been pumping money into the domain, betting that advances in AI and autonomous systems will speed the commercial adoption of humanoid robots.
Chinese companies are also racing to find viable applications beyond factories, from retail and customer service to policing and public safety.
Incubated by Chery in January 2025, AiMOGA has delivered more than 3,000 robots globally, with 2,000 overseas, and operates in more than 60 countries and regions.
As per Zhang, the company aims to deliver 10,000 robots globally in 2027 and eventually aims to rank among the “world’s top” robotics firms.
Earlier in 2026, AiMOGA unveiled humanoid police robots, with 110 units already deployed across multiple Chinese cities to assist with traffic management, crowd guidance, and public-safety awareness campaigns.
The venture is planning to further focus on the civic arena, with Zhang stating that AiMOGA has identified traffic management as a promising application after finding that traffic police often work in harsh conditions—exposed to extreme weather, air pollution from vehicle emissions, and a higher risk of accidents.
“Robots could help address labour shortages in such roles, and the need could be even greater overseas, particularly in regions such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where high temperatures and heavy rainfall make the job more challenging,” Zhang further stated.
The robotics startup’s bipedal humanoid robot was initially deployed in Chery dealerships and has been, since then, expanding into public-service applications.
Stating that China’s robotics industry resembled the country’s electric vehicle sector a few years ago, with many companies emerging rapidly and competing intensely, Zhang expects the industry to strengthen the technology base through consolidations. However, he sees competition, particularly on the cost front, likely to be fierce.
“To diversify beyond the domestic market, the company is expanding overseas, with service robots and companion robots leading its initial overseas expansion,” he remarked.