World’s first humanoid robot-powered EV battery production line launched in China

CATL has become the first battery maker to deploy humanoid robots at scale in battery pack production, replacing humans in critical tasks.

Its new robot-enabled production line at the Luoyang, Henan facility is the world’s first large-scale use of humanoid robots in this sector, the company announced yesterday.

Named Xiaomo, the robot can perform complex operations, such as high-precision battery connector insertion, marking a major milestone in applying embodied intelligence to advanced manufacturing.

In November, CATL began mass production of fifth-generation LFP cells, delivering higher energy density, longer cycle life, and enhanced performance.

AI replaces operators

Xiaomo was developed by Spirit AI, a Hangzhou-based robotics startup founded in 2024 with backing from CATL. The collaboration reflects CATL’s broader push to integrate advanced robotics and artificial intelligence into large-scale industrial environments.

According to CNEV Post, Xiaomo aims to advance battery pack production by replacing human operators in critical EOL (End of Line) and DCR (Direct Current Internal Resistance) testing—the final functional checks before packs leave the line. These stages previously required workers to manually connect high-voltage test plugs, a task that posed risks of arcing and made it difficult to maintain consistent efficiency and quality.

Equipped with an advanced end-to-end Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model, Xiaomo demonstrates robust environmental perception and precise task execution. The robot autonomously handles uncertainties, such as variations in material positioning and connection points, dynamically adjusting its posture and modulating force during the insertion and removal of flexible wiring harnesses. This ensures reliable connections without damaging sensitive components.

In real-world operations, Xiaomo achieves a connection success rate exceeding 99 percent while maintaining cycle times comparable to those of skilled human workers. Beyond its primary functions, the robot actively monitors wiring harness connections and reports anomalies in real time, thereby reducing defect rates. During operational pauses, Xiaomo can switch to inspection mode, further enhancing production reliability and efficiency, reports CNEV Post.

Automation powers dominance

CATL said its humanoid robot Xiaomo is now handling continuous production tasks across multiple battery models, delivering a daily workload nearly three times higher than manual labor while maintaining high consistency and operational stability. The company plans to treat Xiaomo’s rollout as a foundation for further upgrades in automation and intelligent manufacturing across its battery pack production lines.

The automation drive comes as CATL continues to strengthen its dominance in the global EV battery market. From January to October, the company recorded 355.2 gigawatt-hours of EV battery installations worldwide, up 36.6 percent from 260 GWh over the same period last year, according to data from South Korea-based SNE Research. This performance secured CATL a 38.1 percent global market share, making it the only battery supplier worldwide to exceed the 30 percent threshold.

In China, CATL maintained its leading position with November battery installations reaching 40.87 GWh, accounting for 43.71 percent of the market. In October alone, domestic installations totaled 36.14 GWh, representing 43 percent of China’s EV battery market. During that month, ternary lithium batteries accounted for about 72.8 percent of CATL’s installations, while LFP batteries made up roughly 35.7 percent.