The 2026 Beijing E-Town humanoid robot half marathon brought together more than 300 humanoid robots from across China to compete in a 21-kilometer endurance course, marking one of the largest real-world tests of robotic mobility to date. With over 70 teams participating, the event reflected not only technological progress but also the increasingly diversified and regionally distributed development of China's robotics industry.
Honor's Lightning humanoid robots stood out in the competition, taking first place and sweeping the top six positions, demonstrating advances in motion control, system integration, and real-world stability. Beyond the result, the event highlighted how humanoid robotics capabilities are being rapidly iterated across multiple teams rather than remaining concentrated in a single hub.
More broadly, China's humanoid robotics sector is expanding in a "multi-center" pattern, with innovation emerging from start-ups, universities, and manufacturing clusters across different regions. In 2025, China accounted for more than four out of five humanoid robot installations globally, driven by domestic start-ups such as AgiBot, Unitree Robotics and Honor, as commercialization accelerates across logistics, manufacturing, and service applications.
Reporter: Zeng Xiangxing
Video: Guo Hongda
Poster:Guo Hongda
