Unitree Unveils 12.66 m/s Superman Robot Ahead of $9 Billion IPO

3 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Aug 18

Unitree said its new Superman humanoid can run at 12.66 meters per second and jump 2 meters vertically, claims that would top Usain Bolt's peak speed and the human standing high-jump record.
The robot was developed in three months and unveiled just before Unitree's Shanghai IPO on Wednesday, where filings indicate the retail tranche is more than 5,000 times oversubscribed.
Business Insider could not independently verify the performance claims, underscoring a broader gap between eye-catching humanoid demos and limited real-world deployment in factories and services.
Unitree has still emerged as a leader in China's fast-growing humanoid sector, shipping nearly 6,000 robots in the first half of 2026 and selling models from a $13,500 G1 to a $650,000 GD01 mecha.
Morgan Stanley sees the humanoid market reaching $7.5 trillion by 2050, while U.S. rivals including Tesla's Optimus remain pre-mass-launch and new FCC restrictions may further curb Chinese robot sales in America.