Multiple Chinese robotics companies unveiled passenger-carrying quadruped robots at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, held July 17–20, signaling a push to commercialize rideable AI-powered machines for transport, logistics, and rough-terrain operations1,2.
Among the most prominent exhibits was a riding robot developed by Chongqing Haochen Embodied Intelligence Technology Co, with technical support from AGIQUAD, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based AgiBot. The company opened global pre-orders at the event and said small-batch deliveries are scheduled for September. According to an on-site staff member, the robot can reach a top speed of 15 kilometers per hour, carry up to 75 kilograms, travel as far as 20 km on a single charge, and climb slopes of up to 25 degrees. It also supports all-terrain travel, obstacle avoidance on multiple surfaces, body-form switching, and voice interaction.
Kepler unveiled what it called the world's first hybrid-architecture quadruped robot: the Qilin series. Every unit in the line features proprietary planetary roller screw core hardware shared with industrial equipment. The Qilin Riding model supports dual-mode operation, capable of carrying a human rider or transporting cargo at the rear. The heavy-duty flatbed variant has a 300-kg curb weight and a payload nearing 1 ton, with a body length exceeding 2 meters. Across all three Qilin models, a single charge delivers up to 8 hours of continuous operation. Kepler said it has secured over 47 million yuan in effective industrial orders for 2026.
Kepler also debuted the K3 Bumblebee humanoid robot, a comprehensive upgrade over its predecessor, the K2. The K3 Bumblebee features dual-arm 30-kg heavy-lifting capability, an added waist degree of freedom, and retains one-hour charging with eight-hour working endurance. Kepler additionally introduced the K3W, a wheeled, lifting, dual-arm humanoid robot.
DaxAI Robot exhibited the Qiji X1 All-Terrain Intelligent Mount-Quadruped Cyber Horse, billed as the world's first AI-powered smart riding quadruped. A company representative said the Qiji X1 has a 40 km range, a 10 km/h top speed, and a dynamic 300 kg payload, built for rough terrain. The company said its long-term goal is to obtain a motorcycle or four-wheel vehicle license for the robot within three years.
Deep Robotics unveiled a limited-edition robot horse to mark the Year of the Horse in 2026. The company said the robot horse can reach a maximum speed of 5 meters per second, weighs about 30 kg, stands about half a meter tall, and can carry up to 50 kg. Deep Robotics said it is built on the same rugged platform used in industrial inspection, emergency rescue, and logistics scenarios.
Industry observers at the event said quadruped robots are increasingly being positioned as a new form of human-machine collaboration rather than as a replacement for human labor. One exhibitor surnamed Wang said quadruped robots can free workers from dangerous environments and help unlock more of human potential.
AgiBot, whose subsidiary AGIQUAD provided technical support for the Chongqing Haochen riding robot, recently launched a Robot-as-a-Service model in Australia and New Zealand at a partner conference on July 17.
ANALYSIS The concentration of rideable quadruped robots from multiple vendors at a single event — with at least one already taking global pre-orders — marks a transition from lab demonstrations to early commercial availability for this category of embodied AI hardware.