BYD Puts Robots in Showrooms as Flagship Sedan Prepares for Chengdu Debut
Published on 07/31/2026 at 07:42 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The Chinese automaker is broadening its footprint on multiple fronts this month, with humanoid robots set to greet customers at its experience centers while a new premium sedan prepares for its public unveiling.
BYD will showcase its first humanoid robots in August at its Di-Space experience centers, where the machines will interact with customers and field questions about vehicles. The company says it has been researching humanoid robotics since 2022 and established a dedicated division at the end of 2024. The ambition is to eventually deploy two to three robots per showroom location.
The robotics push comes as Morgan Stanley projects roughly 50,000 humanoid robots will ship in China this year, with that figure potentially doubling to 100,000 units by 2027. The global market for such systems is expected to expand from $3 billion in 2025 to $28 billion by 2030. For BYD, the diversification makes strategic sense given that net margins in China's auto sector hover around just 4.1 percent, according to industry data.
The robot rollout coincides with a regulatory win for the carmaker. BYD is among the first manufacturers certified under China's new L2 driver-assistance standard, GB 47955-2026, which takes effect on January 1, 2027. All of the company's "God's Eye" models already exceed the new requirements, giving it a head start over rivals that still need to adapt their systems.
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Korean Expansion Hits Its Target
In Seoul, BYD opened its 35th showroom in South Korea on Friday, a roughly 300-square-meter location in the Dongdaemun district operated by local partner DT Networks, which already runs 14 other outlets. The opening meets BYD Korea's annual showroom target. Test drives are scheduled for late August at the new site, where the company also announced its first plug-in hybrid for the market: the Sea Lion 6 DM-i, priced from around $25,900, with deliveries planned for the third quarter.
The Korean expansion comes at a delicate moment for Chinese exporters. The official purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector unexpectedly slipped to 49.2 in July, ending a four-month expansion streak, while the new orders sub-index hit 48.5 — its lowest reading in 38 months. Surveys also indicate Chinese exports to the US declined again in July after a brief rebound the prior month.
Flagship Sedan Targets Premium Segment
On the product front, BYD's upcoming flagship sedan, the Great Han — known domestically as the DaHan — was spotted during test drives this week ahead of its official launch. The company has confirmed a range of 1,008 kilometers per charge for the model, which marks the first D-segment flagship sedan in the Dynasty family. The vehicle previously appeared in registration documents after China's industry ministry included it in a batch of newly approved electric vehicles.
The official unveiling will take place at the Chengdu Motor Show, running from August 21 to 30, 2026. Dynasty chief Lu Tian has teased additional surprises for the event. The Great Han follows the Da Tang, the Dynasty line's first D-segment SUV, which went on sale in mid-June.
The premium push represents a shift for BYD, which has traditionally competed on price rather than luxury. The company's global sales rose for a second consecutive month in June, up 5.5 percent to 403,472 vehicles, with overseas deliveries surging 94.7 percent to 175,349 units. Domestic sales, however, fell 22 percent in the same month. Export growth has more than compensated for the home-market weakness, and BYD delivered 557,090 battery-electric vehicles in the second quarter — fewer than a year earlier, but likely enough to reclaim the title of the world's largest pure-EV seller from Tesla.
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China's auto market remains under pressure from expiring subsidies, a persistent property crisis, and high dealer inventories. The China Passenger Car Association now expects vehicle sales to decline 11 percent this year, a sharp downgrade from its earlier forecast of a 1 percent drop. Rivals including Leapmotor, Li Auto, and Xiaomi are also feeling the squeeze as price competition intensifies and demand softens.
Stock Holds Its Ground
Despite the mixed macro backdrop, BYD's shares have shown resilience. The stock closed Thursday at EUR 10.40, up 19.84 percent over the past 30 days, though it remains roughly a fifth below its 52-week high of EUR 13.23 reached last August. The combination of regulatory tailwinds, international expansion, and the robotics venture signals a company determined to move beyond its core auto business — a message investors are likely weighing carefully against the softening Chinese economic data.
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