AsianFin— AgiBot, the fast-rising Chinese robotics startup co-founded by prominent AI developer Peng Zhihui—better known as Zhihui Jun—announced Wednesday it has officially begun recruiting commercialization partners for its latest humanoid robot, Lingxi X2.
Wei Qiang, President of Zhiyuan's Lingxi division, told AsianFin in a Tuesday briefing that the company is initiating a B2B2C sales strategy, seeking collaborators to deploy the robot across a wide range of real-world use cases. "By the end of 2026, we hope to reach a scale of several thousand units," Wei said, with large-scale shipments expected to begin in the second half of this year.
Standing at roughly 1.3 meters tall and weighing 35 kilograms, the Lingxi X2 features up to 31 degrees of freedom, enabling advanced motion control and human-like interactivity. Prices range from 100,000 yuan to 400,000 yuan (approximately $13,800 to $55,000), depending on configuration.
AgiBot, established in February 2023 under Shanghai Zhiyuan Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., has quickly emerged as one of China's most ambitious robotics ventures. Its backers include Sangpeng (Shanghai) Technology Partnership, which holds a 28.83% stake, with Peng Zhihui controlling 13.79% of Sangpeng.
Wei, who previously held senior roles at Huawei, JD.com, Panasonic, and Anker Innovations, underscored the need to move beyond novelty in humanoid robotics. "In entertainment scenarios, most robots can only wave or shake hands via remote control. This quickly becomes boring," he said. Instead, the X2 aims to push the envelope on interaction, motion, and task execution.
The Lingxi X2 is being rolled out in three versions: the base Interactive Edition, mid-tier Explorer Edition, and high-end Flagship Edition. Higher-end variants support 4G/5G communication, autonomous navigation, and secondary development through add-ons like dexterous hands, motion capture systems, and remote-control tools.
Zhiyuan is banking on X2's rich emotional expressiveness and adaptive interaction as key differentiators in an increasingly crowded humanoid robotics space. "The term ‘silicon-based youth' refers to its human-like height," Wei said. "But its intelligence and capabilities go far beyond that of any teenager."
Beyond consumer-facing applications like education, exhibitions, and companionship, Zhiyuan also has eyes on the senior care market. Initial deployment, Wei said, will focus on elderly living communities and premium nursing homes.
The Lingxi line is part of a broader product ecosystem that includes bipedal industrial robots under the Yuanzheng division and wheeled humanoid platforms in the Jingling line. Zhiyuan also plans to launch a quadruped robot dog, the Lingxi D1, in Q2 2025, targeting educational and home scenarios.
Zhiyuan's leadership is stacked with industry veterans, including DJI and NIO alumni, with separate heads leading the Yuanzheng, Jingling, and Lingxi business units.
Wei believes Lingxi X2 marks a "breakthrough in the boundaries of embodied intelligence," positioning Zhiyuan at the forefront of what he calls a coming era of "human-machine symbiosis."
