CATL deployed automated Xiaomo robots in Lac Duong

CATL calls this large-scale deployment a “world first” where humanoid robots perform complex tasks at the same speed as skilled workers.

Xiaomo, a humanoid robot built by startup Spirit AI, is responsible for plugging in high-voltage battery connectors on the assembly line. This step in electric vehicle battery production is done manually and has long been considered potentially risky for workers. Xiaomo is equipped with a CATL battery and a Vision – Language – Action (VAL) artificial intelligence model that helps recognize changes in the surrounding environment such as different plug positions and adjust grip movements in real time.

CATL said that the robot currently has a 99% success rate in the task of inserting connectors, and has a daily workload three times that of workers because it operates without needing to rest. In addition to its main task, the robot also actively monitors wire connections and reports unusual problems in real time, thereby helping to reduce error rates.

CATL intends to continue to increase the level of intelligence and automation at factories, while promoting the adoption of embodied artificial intelligence – AI systems integrated into physical bodies such as robots or automated machines. The automation push comes as the company continues to consolidate its dominance in the global electric vehicle battery market. According to research company SNE Research, from January to October, CATL recorded the total installed electric vehicle battery capacity in the world reaching 355.2 GWh, an increase of 36.6% compared to 260 GWh in the same period last year. This helps CATL hold 38.1% of the global market share, becoming the only battery supplier in the world to exceed the 30% threshold.

Chinese robots are increasingly present in factories, contributing to accelerating the automation process and improving production efficiency of large enterprises. In March, UBTech Robotics company tested the deployment of dozens of Walker S1 humanoid robots at the Zeekr electric vehicle factory in Ningbo. In August, AgiBot confirmed the deployment of about 100 wheeled two-armed robots, A2-W, at the facilities of auto parts manufacturer Fulin Precision.