As development of the Humanoid Robot (human-type robot) is proving faster than expected, expectations are growing that it will become a new revenue source for the battery industry. If humanoids go into mass production, the outlook is that ternary batteries, where Korean companies have strengths, are likely to be adopted.
Hyundai Motor Group on the 5th (local time) unveiled the research model (Atlas prototype) and development model (Atlas product) of the next-generation Humanoid Robot "Atlas," developed by its U.S. robot subsidiary Boston Dynamics, at CES 2026, the world's largest consumer electronics and information technology (IT) show in Las Vegas.
That day, the Atlas research model, which had been lying on the floor at one side of the stage, stood up and walked to the center with a natural gait. It then made a gesture as if to draw attention to one side of the stage and introduced the Atlas development model, which will be deployed at the Georgia plant in the United States starting in 2028.
The Atlas development model, the commercialization model to be deployed on site, stands 190 centimeters tall, 20 centimeters taller than the research model. It weighs 90 kilograms, exceeding the physique of an average adult male. With its arms extended, it can reach a height of 230 centimeters and lift objects weighing up to 50 kilograms. It can withstand severe cold at minus 20 degrees and extreme heat at 40 degrees.
◇ Humanoid Robot battery space is tight; ternary chemistries have an edge over LFP
If humanoids are introduced to factories and other sites, the manufacturing environment could change dramatically. The issue, however, is operating time. The stamina of a Humanoid Robot comes from its battery. The Atlas development model can run on a battery for four hours at a time.
When moving heavy objects, battery life drops to two hours. Boston Dynamics noted that Atlas can replace its own battery at a charging station in three minutes and return to work immediately.
Humanoid Robots, with bodies similar to the human form, have room to mount a battery only in the chest area. Compared with electric vehicles, space to install batteries is limited.
Because of this, some analyses say ternary batteries such as nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM), which Korea focuses on, have an advantage over lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, where China has seized the market lead. LFP batteries are cheaper and more resistant to fire than ternary batteries but are relatively heavier and have about 30% lower energy density. Given the same size or weight, higher energy density allows longer use.
In fact, Tesla's Humanoid Robot "Optimus" is known to use LG Energy Solution's ternary cylindrical batteries. LG Energy Solution is also supplying cylindrical batteries for service and industrial robots made by Bear Robotics, a U.S. commercial Autonomous Driving robot company.
Hyundai Motor Group's service robot "DAL-e" and delivery robot "MobED" use Samsung SDI's ternary cylindrical batteries.
◇ High-energy-density 4680 cylindrical batteries and solid-state batteries could see faster commercialization
In the battery industry, there is an expectation that the 4680 (46 mm diameter, 80 mm height) battery, which has higher energy density than existing batteries, will be installed in the second-generation Optimus. The 4680 battery has five times the energy density of the existing 2170 (21 mm diameter, 70 mm height) battery. Among Korea's three battery makers, LG Energy Solution plans to mass-produce 4680 batteries within the year at its Queen Creek, Arizona, plant in the United States.
Some also see the possibility that if solid-state batteries are commercialized later, they could be applied to Humanoid Robots. The reasoning is that with Humanoid Robots operating in homes, in addition to those used on industrial sites like Atlas, sensitivity to fire safety will rise further.
Solid-state batteries are next-generation batteries that combine the advantages of ternary batteries and LFP batteries. Solid-state batteries have higher energy density than ternary batteries. They also use solid electrolytes, reducing the likelihood of ignition and improving safety.
Given the Humanoid Robot's structure and limited internal space, installing a solid-state battery with the same capacity could extend operating time by more than 50% compared with ternary chemistries while also improving safety. However, they are still in development and are expected to take several years to commercialize.
Goldman Sachs put the global Humanoid Robot market at $3.8 billion in 2035. That is six times higher than the $600 million estimate released just a year ago. Goldman Sachs projected annual Humanoid Robot shipments will exceed 250,000 units in 2030.
Global market research firm Fortune Business Insights likewise projected the global Humanoid Robot market will grow from $2.43 billion in 2023 to $66 billion in 2032.