A Robots builds own actuators to cut humanoid cost to 33 million won
CEO Eom Yun-seol said in-house actuators costing 600,000 won each let the company undercut rivals and take on China's Unitree on price.
A Robots CEO Eom Yun-seol said the company now produces its own actuators, cutting humanoid production costs to about 33 million won per unit, at the Gyeonggi Startup Summit in Suwon on October 15, 2026, according to byline.network.
Eom identified Unitree's G1 as the most threatening humanoid competitor because of its price. The Chinese robot sells in Chinese stores for about 30 million won, while Korean humanoids typically cost about 150 million won.
Actuators are the main cost driver. Eom said a single unit costs about 2 million won even with discounts, so the 31 actuators A Robots uses per humanoid, excluding the hands, would alone cost more than 60 million won.
By making its own linear and rotary actuators, A Robots puts the unit cost at 600,000 won, which brings the overall humanoid production cost down to about 33 million won.
Six years without outside funding
A Robots was founded in 2018 and built and sold robots without investment for six years until 2024, as investors were skeptical the humanoid market could secure customers.
Quick answers
How much does A Robots say it costs to build a humanoid?
About 33 million won, after bringing its own actuator cost down to 600,000 won per unit.
How much does Unitree's G1 cost?
About 30 million won in Chinese stores, according to A Robots CEO Eom Yun-seol.