Boston Dynamics Begins Mass Production of Electric Atlas—Hyundai to Deploy Tens of Thousands

Overview

Boston Dynamics unveiled its fully electric humanoid robot Atlas at CES 2026 and announced immediate production. All 2026 Atlas deployments are already fully committed, with fleets scheduled to ship to Hyundai's Robotics Metaplant Application Center (RMAC) and Google DeepMind.

Hyundai's Large-Scale Deployment Plan

Hyundai Motor Group, Boston Dynamics' majority shareholder, is preparing to deploy tens of thousands of Boston Dynamics robots across its manufacturing facilities. The company recently announced a $26 billion investment in its U.S. operations, including plans to build a new robotics factory capable of producing 30,000 robots per year.

According to Korea Herald, Atlas will be deployed at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia by 2028 for sequencing tasks.

Technical Specifications

Boston Dynamics unveiled a production version of the all-electric Atlas designed for "automotive volumes." Key features of the 2026 production model:

Torque Density: Custom-designed electric direct-drive actuators with a staggering 220 Nm/kg

Sustained Payload: 66 lbs (30 kg)

Burst-Lift Capability: Up to 110 lbs (50 kg)

Autonomy: VR teleoperation, tablet control, and fully autonomous operation

Beating Tesla to Production

The Register reports that Boston Dynamics beat Tesla to the humanoid robot punch. Tesla's prediction of producing 5,000-10,000 Optimus robots in 2025 didn't materialize, and Optimus lacks autonomous capabilities.

In contrast, Boston Dynamics has production-ready units shipping immediately, a powerful manufacturing partner in Hyundai, and secured demand.

Market Outlook

2025 humanoid robot shipments were approximately 13,000-16,000 units, with tens of thousands projected for 2026 and over 100,000 cumulative by 2027. However, China controls 90% of the humanoid market with mass shipments from Unitree and Agibot, with even Tesla acknowledging tough competition.

Implications

Boston Dynamics' Atlas production marks a turning point where humanoid robots transition from laboratories to actual industrial sites. An era is beginning where human-form robots supplement labor and replace dangerous tasks across automotive, logistics, and manufacturing sectors.