Chery Automobile's robot brand Aimoga has officially launched consumer sales of humanoid robots priced at $41,830, marking a significant shift in how physical AI technology reaches everyday households. The company is expanding beyond online retail into a nationwide network of physical dealerships, franchises, and experience centers, while introducing flexible purchasing options like leasing and installment payments to lower barriers for ordinary consumers .

What Does It Mean When Automakers Enter the Robot Business?

The move by Chery into consumer robotics reflects a broader trend among automotive giants seeking new revenue streams beyond vehicle manufacturing. Chery established Aimoga in January 2025 and has already delivered 300 humanoid robots and 1,000 robot dogs across more than 30 countries and regions by the end of 2025 . This isn't just a side project; Chery's senior management views Aimoga as a key third growth curve to drive future overall revenue growth, alongside its core automotive business.

Other major automakers are following suit. Changan Automobile, GAC, and EV startup Xpeng are all developing humanoid robot products, suggesting that the automotive industry sees robotics as a natural extension of its manufacturing expertise and supply chain capabilities . The advantage is clear: automakers already possess advanced electronics, multi-modal sensor integration, and smart cockpit technologies that translate directly into robot capabilities.

How Is Chery Making Robots Affordable for Regular Consumers?

• Flexible Payment Models: Aimoga offers direct sales, long-term leasing, and installment payment options to reduce upfront costs and make ownership more accessible to middle-income households.
• Tiered Product Range: The company sells both humanoid robots at $41,830 and quadruped robot dogs at $15,800, allowing consumers to choose based on budget and use case.
• Omnichannel Distribution: Sales occur through online platforms like JD.com as well as planned physical networks including specialty stores, auto dealerships, and shopping mall experience centers.

The pricing strategy reflects Aimoga's long-term vision. Rather than targeting only wealthy early adopters, the company is building infrastructure to eventually bring embodied AI robots into ordinary households. By the end of 2025, Aimoga had already signed agreements with more than 300 dealers at a franchise conference for the Chinese market, with plans to complete the first batch of domestic channel networks in 2026 .

Why Are Investors Reshaping Robotics Funds to Focus on Humanoid Technology?

The investment community is taking notice of this shift. Betashares, a major ETF provider, recently revised its Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (RBTZ) to sharpen focus on embodied AI and humanoid robotics specifically . The update expanded the fund's holdings from 49 to 60 companies and added seven China A-shares companies, reflecting recognition that robotics development is no longer concentrated only in the United States, Japan, and parts of Europe.

The revised methodology narrows the definition of AI exposure to companies whose technologies directly support physical AI and robotics systems, including chips, platforms, and industrial software . This distinction matters because many investment products historically bundled industrial automation firms with a much broader range of software and semiconductor stocks. By drawing a firmer line between general AI exposure and robotics-specific applications, Betashares is signaling that humanoid and embodied AI represent a distinct investment category with unique growth potential.

"Robotics and automation are evolving at a rapid pace, and it's critical that investment solutions evolve alongside these changes to ensure investors are capturing the most compelling opportunities," said Alex Vynokur, Chief Executive Officer of Betashares.

Alex Vynokur, Chief Executive Officer of Betashares

Vynokur further noted that the introduction of a humanoid robotics sub-theme reflects what the firm sees as one of the most compelling and transformative frontiers in technology today, with potential to reshape industries ranging from manufacturing through to services and healthcare .

What Capabilities Do These Consumer Robots Actually Have?

Aimoga's robots are designed to handle real-world complexity. According to the company, these robots are capable of adapting to complex environments, multimodal perception, and autonomous task execution . The technological foundation largely benefits from technologies Chery has accumulated in smart cockpits, vehicle electronic architectures, and multi-modal interactions, meaning these robots inherit decades of automotive engineering expertise.

The company's strategic roadmap reveals ambitious expansion plans. Aimoga will gradually expand from initial auto sales scenarios into the retail and supermarket sectors, with the ultimate goal of achieving full popularization of smart service robots among ordinary consumer groups . This phased approach suggests the company is being realistic about deployment challenges while maintaining a clear path toward household adoption.

China's growing role in robotics development is becoming impossible to ignore. The country has become a significant manufacturing and research base for industrial automation and robotics, with domestic companies advancing in sensors, machine vision, components, and humanoid robot design . The inclusion of more China-based companies in major investment funds highlights a broader recognition that robotics innovation is now a truly global endeavor, with China playing a central role in both manufacturing and research.

What makes Chery's move particularly significant is the timing and scale. Rather than launching a limited pilot program, the company is immediately building nationwide distribution infrastructure and offering multiple purchasing options. This suggests confidence that consumer demand for household robots exists now, not in some distant future. As other automakers follow suit and investment funds reshape their portfolios to capture humanoid robotics exposure, the consumer robot market appears to be transitioning from niche technology to mainstream product category.