Press & Social
The World Reacts
From Elon Musk calling it "cool" to 23,000 Reddit upvotes in 24 hours — the GD01 dominated the global conversation on May 12, 2026. Here's what the world said.
On X (Twitter)
Real posts from the day of the reveal and the days that followed.
“Unitree Unveils: GD01, A Manned Transformable Mecha, from $650,000 👏 The world's first production-ready manned mecha. It can transform. It's a civilian vehicle. It weighs ~500kg with you inside. Please everyone be sure to use the robot in a Friendly and Safe manner.”
“Cool”
“JUST IN: Unitree Robotics just unveiled the GD01 — the world's first production-ready manned mecha robot. But the real story here is the bigger picture. Chinese companies account for nearly 90% of global humanoid robot sales in 2025. This is not a stunt. This is a signal.”
“Today I climbed inside the GD01 myself. This is not science fiction. This is Unitree engineering. We build what others only imagine.”
Global Press Coverage
The GD01 was covered by every major technology publication within hours of the reveal.
If You Have $650,000 and Don't Buy This Giant Mecha Robot You're a Fool
“Unitree is a fast-rising robotics startup based in Hangzhou, China. The company already makes the world's most popular four-legged and humanoid robots. This is its first foray into giant mechas. The company confirmed to WIRED that the GD01 was an actual product it is selling, not an elaborate prank.”
Unitree will sell you a massive 'transformable mecha' for $650,000
“The GD01 can punch through walls and carry you around like a horse. Unitree is already one of the most recognizable names in the humanoid robot industry, but now it's pursuing even nicher sci-fi tech: giant mech suits.”
Unitree's new robot is like a giant Transformer come to life
“On May 12, Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing climbed into the chest cavity of a 9.8-foot-tall metal robot, walked around, and destroyed a concrete brick wall. One punch. Wall gone.”
Strap into this real-life mecha suit for just $650,000
“Unitree has just gone and made many a kid-at-heart's wildest dream come true. The Chinese robotics firm has created the GD01, a functional mecha suit that you can hop into and walk about on two legs or four.”
Unitree unveils optionally manned transformer robot GD01
“GD01 features stable bipedal walking, strong force to topple walls, and quick switch to quadruped mode for rough terrain movement. According to Omdia, Chinese companies accounted for nearly 90 percent of global humanoid robot sales in 2025.”
Science fiction becomes reality: Unitree Robotics unveils world's first production-ready manned mecha
“For years, the idea of humans piloting towering, bipedal mechas was purely the stuff of sci-fi blockbusters like Pacific Rim. But the boundary between sci-fi imagination and real-world engineering has just been crossed.”
Elon Musk praises Unitree's rideable mech GD01, calls it 'cool'
“On Wednesday, Elon Musk praised Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics' newly unveiled GD01 rideable mech on social media, calling the product 'cool.'”
Unitree's GD01 Mecha Puts a Pilot Inside a Walking Robot for $650,000
“The Chinese robotics company that dominates the quadruped market is now selling a transformable manned robot that shifts between two legs and four. Likely buyers include theme parks, industrial operators seeking novel inspection platforms, or deep-pocketed collectors.”
Community Reactions
How the internet responded across Reddit, forums, and social media.
“This is literally a Gundam. An actual real Gundam you can buy.”
“For only $650k. Just need to save up for 10 years.”
“I'll usually defend Unitree against people saying their videos are AI or CGI. This is real. Their quadruped heritage makes the balance control credible.”
“The transition from bipedal to quadrupedal is the most impressive part for me technically.”
“We are SO back. This is literally a BattleMech IRL. If Unitree keeps this pace they'll have particle weapons by 2030.”
“The heart of the beast is the servo drive system. Same tech as their Go2 dog. Just... scaled up by 200x.”
“These aren't the robots you're looking for. Oh wait. Yes they are.”
“The open cockpit is giving serious Dolores vibes. Someone needs to add a cowboy hat.”
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