Leapmotor Announces Fully Self-Developed Embodied AI Robot with All Core Components In-House
Leapmotor announced at its 2026 Tech Day on the evening of September 16 that its embodied AI robot has taken shape, with a fully self-developed robot now completed. All core components are independently mastered, including motors, controllers, batteries, perception algorithms, and the computing platform.
Based on this full-domain self-research system, Leapmotor possesses complete development capabilities from low-level hardware to high-level algorithms, transferring its accumulated automotive technology chain to the robotics field and achieving internal closed-loop for most core components. Zhu Jiangming stated that Leapmotor is exploring a scenario that can truly achieve large-scale deployment and create commercial value, not limited to laboratory prototypes or demonstration purposes.
Three electrics, perception, and domain control: automotive and robotics share the same technology stack. Leapmotor simultaneously released its MM-i multi-mode hybrid electric drive, LEAP 5.0 new mobile space architecture, Clover 5.0 central domain control electronic architecture, and CTC 3.0 high-low voltage integrated battery at the Tech Day. These directly correspond to robot core components: the electric drive to joint motors and drive systems, the domain control architecture to the computing platform and communication architecture, and the battery to the energy system.
Leapmotor self-produces motors, controllers, and batteries. Migrating this capability to robotics saves the time needed to rebuild the supply chain. Leapmotor has built 18 factories with a self-research ratio exceeding 65%. This heavy-asset model provides the manufacturing foundation to support both vehicle mass production and robot R&D.
Leapmotor plans to leverage its full-domain self-research and full-chain self-manufacturing to extend high-level ADAS to all A, B, C, and D series models, with a price range of 60,000 to 300,000 yuan. The robot business appeared alongside the vehicle technology matrix, indicating that Leapmotor is extending its self-research capabilities from automotive products outward.
Automakers entering the robotics track is becoming a trend, with XPeng, Tesla, and Hyundai doing similar things. Leapmotor's difference lies in its higher self-research ratio, with almost all core components in an internal closed loop. The benefit is cost control and supply chain security; the cost is large upfront investment and the need to tackle every link independently.
Leapmotor is simultaneously advancing four lines: complete vehicles, three electrics, smart driving, and robotics, making resource allocation a real issue. Zhu Jiangming clearly positioned the robot business as seeking scenarios that can scale and create commercial value, not laboratory prototypes or demonstrations. This sets the threshold for the robot business at commercialization.
Automakers' advantage in robotics is their manufacturing system and supply chain; their disadvantage is a late start in embodied AI algorithms and data accumulation. Leapmotor claims to master perception algorithms and computing platforms, but the Tech Day did not provide details on their level or ability to support real-world operational tasks. The 18 factories and 65% self-research ratio indicate a manufacturing foundation, but whether the robot can move from prototype to mass production depends on finding the first paying scenario. The automotive business itself is still in a price war, and whether the pace of robot investment will be constrained by the cash flow of the vehicle business is worth watching.