Chinese humanoid robot makers are beating Tesla to market. While Elon Musk delays Optimus sales until late 2027, Shenzhen-based LimX Dynamics is already exploring U.S. business deals and shipping units to the Middle East this year. The startup delivered 13,000 humanoids globally in 2025, with Chinese companies dominating shipments—a stark reminder that the robotics race isn't waiting for Silicon Valley. Morgan Stanley just doubled its China humanoid forecast to 28,000 units for 2026.
LimX Dynamics founder Will Zhang isn't waiting for Tesla to define the humanoid robot market. The Shenzhen startup just wrapped up appearances at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where it showcased its Oli humanoid alongside rivals like Unitree. Now Zhang's exploring U.S. business partnerships while preparing to ship units to the Middle East—all before Elon Musk's Optimus reaches consumers.
"We don't think it has to be that the U.S. leads and China follows" in tech innovation, Zhang told CNBC in an exclusive interview last week. It's a bold stance backed by hard numbers. Chinese companies shipped roughly 13,000 humanoids worldwide in 2025, according to research firm Omdia, with homegrown players like Agibot dominating the top five spots. Figure AI ranked seventh. Tesla? Ninth.
The competitive pressure is mounting fast. Musk confirmed at Davos that Optimus won't reach public sale until the end of 2027, giving Chinese rivals a two-year head start to lock in customers and refine their technology. Omdia notes Tesla has shipped units to business clients but hasn't opened consumer sales yet—a crucial distinction as LimX finalizes its first Middle East deployment.
