The company that already beat Tesla is preparing for another round: what will happen in August

In recent years, a familiar story has been repeating itself in the automotive world: Tesla presents an ambitious, futuristic vision, investors price it as if it has already been realized, and then a Chinese company arrives, bringing a similar product to market faster and at a lower price.

This is exactly what happened in the electric vehicle market, where BYD overtook Tesla in sales. Now, it seems the same plot is unfolding in the arena of humanoid robots.

BYD has confirmed that its first humanoid robot will be presented in August at its Di Space centers. A teaser published by the company in the city of Zhengzhou mysteriously promised that at the beginning of August, "a new friend wants to meet you." At this stage, the company has not revealed a name, design, or technical specifications, so the available information remains limited and should be treated with caution.

According to Stella Li, Senior Vice President at BYD, the robot's primary target is the sales floor. In an interview in June, she stated that the goal is to place two or three robots in each store to explain products, showcase vehicles, and interact with customers, without replacing the human connection provided by salespeople.

The company established a dedicated robotics lab at the end of 2024, invested in Chinese robotics developers, and is testing machines from Unitree and UBTech at its factories. However, it denied reports that it had already deployed 150 of its own robots or that it plans to produce 20,000 units this year.

This is where the interest of the Israeli investor comes in. A significant portion of Tesla's high stock valuation relies not on vehicle sales, but on the promise that Optimus will turn the company into a robotics giant.

However, Elon Musk himself warned in January that the initial production rate would be "painfully slow," as Tesla is forced to develop many components from scratch. According to reports, the company is aiming for sales to the general public only at the end of 2027. In other words, while Tesla is still practicing, competitors are already arriving on the field.

And it is more than just one competitor. Samsung has established its own robotics division, Hyundai plans to deploy Boston Dynamics robots at a factory in Georgia from 2028, and Rivian is also entering the field through a subsidiary. China, by the way, already dominates the early stage of the market: according to Reuters, Chinese companies supplied about 90% of the approximately 13,000 humanoid robots sold globally in 2025.

Before rushing to conclusions, it is worth cooling the enthusiasm. Even researchers continue to doubt the speed at which these robots will be able to perform real, useful economic work on a large scale. An impressive presentation in a showroom is one thing, but a robot that justifies itself commercially is a completely different story.

"The competition for the robot market has already begun, and Tesla's bet on an exclusive robotic future is becoming riskier."

For the investor, the bottom line is simple: those who hold the stock, even through an index fund or pension savings, should take this into account.