Unitree unveils robot faster than human sprint
Chinese company reveals 'Superman' humanoid that runs 45.6 km/h and jumps 2 meters from a standstill, days before its Shanghai stock exchange debut.
Chinese company reveals 'Superman' humanoid that runs 45.6 km/h and jumps 2 meters from a standstill, days before its Shanghai stock exchange debut.
Chinese company Unitree, the world's largest seller of humanoid robots, unveiled its new robot named 'Superman' on Monday, August 17, 2026. According to company data, the robot reaches a top speed of 12.66 meters per second, equivalent to 45.6 km/h, and can jump 2 meters high from a standing position, reports the Japan Times.
The robot was developed in just over three months, and the company notes it is still in the development phase and could be further improved in the coming months. The unveiling came just two days before Unitree begins trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, making it the first general-purpose robotics company to list on a mainland Chinese exchange.
Last week, Unitree raised 6.1 billion yuan (approximately $905 million) in its initial public offering (IPO). Demand from retail investors was more than 8,000 times the shares offered, a record for Shanghai's STAR Market tech board. The company, based in the tech hub of Hangzhou in eastern China, has also attracted investors such as Tencent, Alibaba, and DeepSeek.
According to a social media post last week, by July 2026, Unitree had cumulatively produced and delivered around 18,000 bipedal humanoid robots across multiple models. The company was founded by Wang Xingxing, who gained national recognition after receiving a front-row seat at a summit organized by Chinese President Xi Jinping for leading tech entrepreneurs last year.
The Shanghai listing coincides with the opening of the World Robot Conference in Beijing, further boosting investor interest in a company whose humanoids have captured global attention by running, dancing, and performing martial arts. Trading in derivatives on offshore markets ahead of the listing pointed to a strong debut, according to the Japan Times.
The stock could also benefit from a broader recovery in Chinese tech stocks following last month's sell-off. The STAR50 index has rebounded about 15% from the three-month low it hit in early August 2026.
