The world just got its first look at China’s Terminator.
EngineAI, the buzzy Shenzhen robotics firm known for its agile and acrobatic fake humans, just unveiled its first heavy-duty, full-sized humanoid. Codenamed the T-800, after the iconic synthetic human in The Terminator series, it’s one of two potentially game-changing machines EngineAI is rushing to market.
The humanoid, which is being trained for battle, sat in a Game of Thrones-style chair during the 2025 World Robot Conference (WRC) in Beijing, apparently trying to unchain itself. The unprecedented display comes almost two years after the Chinese government made it national policy to own the emerging humanoid robotics market by 2027.
The 10th annual conference featured more than 1,500 exhibits from Chinese and international robotics companies, including several fellow Shenzhen firms like UBTECH, LimX Dynamics, and Lumos Robotics. More than 100 new robotic products reportedly debuted, nearly double the number from 2024.
EngineAI brought its full lineup of scifi-inspired machines, including its PM01 humanoids that have gone viral for their dancing abilities and for patrolling the streets of Shenzhen with police, its new robotic dog that can transport up to 40 kg of cargo, and its S2 service robot that resembles ED 209 from RoboCop (1987). EngineAI is developing a suite of next gen intelligent machines with significant financial backing.
The startup, launched by serial robotics entrepreneur Zhao Tongyang in 2023, shocked the Internet last fall when it introduced its flagship humanoid, the SE01, that immediately set a new benchmark for lifelike bipedal locomotion. EngineAI followed that up with its short humanoid, the PM01, which was initially priced under $15,000 to undercut Unitree’s G1 robot.
Now the company’s team of about 110 is targeting unicorn status, having raised over $160 million to date.
Heading into the conference, EngineAI teased another next-generation machine that brings the barrier of entry for humanoid robotics to a new low. EngineAI says the anime-inspired robot, the SA02, is intended as a social companion for young people. Its $5,300 price tag is apparently intended to undercut Unitree’s new humanoid, the R1, which is priced starting at $5,900.
According to EngineAI, the new robot stands 125 cm (4’1″) and weighs just 25 kg (55 lbs). It’s apparently a full-bodied version of Engine’s SA01 robot, which was launched in July 2024 as an educational and research platform.
EngineAI’s heavyweight humanoid is one of the largest of the current wave of general-purpose bots heading to market. According to XRoboHub, the T800 stands 185 centimeters (6′) and weighs 85 kg (187 lbs). Though it’s much taller than robots like the Figure 02, the Tesla Optimus, Unitree’s H1 and Atlas, it’s only 3 cm shorter than the Terminator T-800 model portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In James Cameron’s original 1984 film that started it all, the Series 800 Terminator is an AI-driven humanoid robot with living tissue covering its hyper-alloy combat chassis. Developed by SkyNet, the Terminator boasts superior strength and durability compared to real humans. It’s skilled in human mimicry and basic social interactions. After it’s re programmed to be the good guy, the T-800’s emotional intelligence evolves to show what seems like genuine empathy in later sequels.
In a recent interview with Shenzhen Satellite TV, founder Tongyang said the new full-sized robot will possess strength comparable to people. He said Engine’s goal is to develop robots with human-level emotional intelligence and superhuman physical capabilities.
The new robot runs on a solid-state battery, which may not match the movie Terminator’s fictional nuclear power cell, but would still be a major leap beyond the lithium-based packs that power almost every other modern humanoid. The batteries replace the liquid electrolyte in typical lithium-ion packs with solid material, which reduces fire risk, allows for higher energy storage in the same space, and can handle more charge cycles
Though the tech is still emerging, industry analysts anticipate that solid state batteries will become the default for humanoids in the future. Engine’s home city, the tech hub of Shenzhen, is particularly far along in research and development into solid state batteries. Notably, BTR New Material Group, recently launched solid state batteries specifically for the humanoid market.
The T-800 prototype towers over EngineAI’s flagship general-purpose robot, which stands 170 cm (5’5″) and weighs just 55 kilos (121 lbs). The taller robot boasts 41 high-degree of freedom (DoF) joints, which is 11 DoF more than the average-sized robot.
While the SE01 excels at fluid, humanlike motions, the T-800 is engineered for strength and resilience for competitive fighting. Engine is readying the robot for its upcoming Mecha King boxing tournament, scheduled for December 2025 in Shenzhen. According to EngineAI, the event will feature full-scale humanoids and introduce pioneering rules that demand real-time intelligent decision making. The company says it will open source the robot code for customization and training purposes.
As described, the event would up the ante on robot combat events that are surging in popularity. Events like Unitree’s Iron Fist King Awakening tournament and underground battles in San Francisco have pitted remote controlled short Chinese humanoids like the G1 and the T1 by Booster Robotics against each other.
In traditional boxing, EngineAI’s T-800 would fall into the cruiserweight division, like Evander Holyfield, but it’s right on the edge of heavyweight. The SE01 would be a featherweight.The T-800 integrates vision, touch, and force sensing through a multi-sensor fusion system. This means it can see, feel contact pressure, and measure applied force simultaneously and then make instant adjustments. Engine’s founder recently said he’s expanding manufacturing capacity to address delivery delays. It’s ramping up manufacturing operations, as it’s now about 80 percent focused on R&D.
Another rising Shenzhen firm, Lumos Robotics, used the Beijing conference to launch its first short humanoid designed for researchers and developers. The startup reportedly secured nearly $30 million dollars in angel funding earlier this year to develop a full stack humanoid platform.
The new robot is among a truly staggering number of AI-powered humanoids that have emerged from the People’s Republic in just the past few months. For more on the current wave of fake humans popping up in China, check out this related video.