At the 2026 Leapmotor Technology Day press conference, founder, chairman, and CEO Zhu Jiangming, alongside senior vice presidents Cao Li, Zhou Hongtao, Wu Cun, and Song Yining, engaged with the media regarding the company's strategic direction.

Addressing the trending embodied intelligence sector during the event, Zhu Jiangming clarified his stance: "We don't chase buzzwords; we prioritize practical deployment. A robot that can simply walk around is not impressive. A robot capable of generating profit is what truly stands out."He added that Leapmotor's humanoid robot has achieved complete in-house development and has entered the testing phase, with all foundational capabilities—including motors, controllers, batteries, perception algorithms, and computing platforms—being independently mastered. The company is currently making small-scale investments to explore application scenarios that are both scalable and commercially viable.

During the dialogue on robotics, Zhu Jiangming noted that Leapmotor's robot remains in the preliminary research phase and must first master basic locomotion. He compared its current development to that of a one or two-year-old child, aiming to reach the running ability of a five or six-year-old, but emphasizing that working-level capability requires the maturity of a 20-year-old. There is still a journey of growth ahead, making it difficult to define a clear business model at this stage.

While Leapmotor has created some demonstrations and continuously explores applicable products, Zhu Jiangming believes that the true value in the future lies not in humanoid robots but in non-humanoid forms—potentially wheeled or transformable designs that can move and operate effectively. He questioned the necessity of walking, stating: "Why walk at all? Walking is the least efficient method. Riding a bicycle for 30 kilometers consumes far less energy than walking the same distance, and with electrification, it becomes even more efficient."

He explained that completing a task should always follow the principle of simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Looking ahead, he revealed that Leapmotor will not prioritize humanoid development in the near term, instead focusing more on automated scenarios. By leveraging AI technology and the company's existing capabilities, the goal is to create innovative products that can serve as a second growth curve for the business.