As the development of the Humanoid Robot (human-shaped robot) is proving faster than expected, expectations are rising that it will become a new revenue source for the battery industry. If humanoids go into mass production, there is growing anticipation that ternary batteries, in which Korean companies have strengths, are likely to be adopted.
Hyundai Motor Group on the 5th (local time) unveiled the next-generation Humanoid Robot Atlas research model (Atlas prototype) and development model (Atlas product) developed by its U.S. robotics subsidiary Boston Dynamics at CES 2026, the world's largest home appliance and information technology (IT) show, held in Las Vegas.
That day, the Atlas research model lay on the floor at one side of the stage, then 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 commercialized version to be deployed on site, stands 190 centimeters tall, 20 centimeters taller than the research model. Weighing 90 kilograms, it exceeds the physical build of an average adult man. With arms extended, it can reach up to a height of 230 centimeters and can lift up to 50 kilograms. It can also withstand extreme cold of minus 20 degrees and extreme heat of 40 degrees Celsius.
◇ Limited battery space in Humanoid Robots favors ternary over LFP
If humanoids are introduced into factories and other sites, the manufacturing environment could change dramatically. The issue, however, is operating time. A Humanoid Robot's stamina comes from its battery. The Atlas development model can run on battery power for four hours at a time.
When moving heavy objects, battery life drops to two hours. In this regard, Boston Dynamics emphasized that Atlas can replace its own battery at a charging station in three minutes and immediately return to work.
Because the Humanoid Robot has a humanlike shape, the only place to mount a battery is around the chest. Compared with electric vehicles, space for batteries is limited.
For this reason, analysts say ternary batteries such as nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM), which Korea focuses on, are more advantageous than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, where China has taken an early lead. LFP batteries are cheaper and more fire-resistant than ternary batteries, but they are relatively heavy and have about 30% lower energy density. With the same size or weight, the higher the energy density, the longer the usage time.
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.
◇ Higher-energy-density 4680 cylindrical batteries and solid-state batteries could reach commercialization sooner
In the battery industry, there is an expectation that the higher-energy-density 4680 (46 mm diameter, 80 mm height) battery 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 say that if solid-state batteries are commercialized later, they could be applied to Humanoid Robots. The reasoning is that, beyond Humanoid Robots used in industrial settings like Atlas, the emergence of humanoids operating in homes will heighten sensitivity to fire safety.
Solid-state batteries are next-generation batteries that combine the strengths of ternary and LFP batteries. Solid-state batteries have higher energy density than ternary batteries. In addition, because they use solid electrolytes, they are safer with a lower likelihood of ignition.
Given the Humanoid Robot's structure, mounting solid-state batteries of the same capacity in its limited space could extend operating time by more than 50% over ternary while also improving safety. However, they are still in development and are expected to take several years to commercialize.
Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs projected the global Humanoid Robot market at $3.8 billion in 2035, six times higher than the $600 million estimate released just a year earlier. Goldman Sachs also projected annual Humanoid Robot shipments would surpass 250,000 units in 2030.
Global market research firm Fortune Business Insights likewise forecast the global Humanoid Robot market to grow from $2.43 billion in 2023 to $66.0 billion in 2032.