EngineAI T800 Pre-Orders Go Live at $25,000, Undercutting Competitors in a Heating Price War

After releasing behind-the-scenes footage to prove its robot’s agility wasn’t a special effect, EngineAI has made an even bolder statement: putting a price tag on it.

The company has officially opened pre-orders for the T800 on the Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, revealing an aggressive pricing strategy that places the full-sized humanoid in direct competition with domestic rival Unitree. With a starting price of RMB 180,000 (approximately $25,000), the T800 is positioning itself as one of the most accessible platforms on the market.

Requires a RMB 5,000 (~$700) deposit, the listing confirms that while the hardware is ready to order, patience is required—first shipments are expected no later than June 2, 2026.

The Four Tiers of T800

The JD.com listing offers the first detailed look at EngineAI’s segmentation strategy. Rather than a "one-size-fits-all" model, the company has split the T800 into four distinct editions, ranging from a basic torso-and-legs configuration to a high-end research platform powered by Nvidia’s latest silicon.

1. Basic Edition: RMB 180,000 (~$25,000) This entry-level model appears to be the "loss leader" designed to grab headlines. Notably, it lacks dexterous hands and is not open-source, suggesting it may be targeted at entertainment and exhibitions.

2. Eco Edition (Open Source): RMB 240,000 (~$33,000) Likely the sweet spot for universities and research labs, this tier adds dexterous hands and, crucially, supports secondary development. This allows developers to access the robot's control interfaces—a necessity for training custom AI policies.

3. Pro Edition: RMB 280,000 (~$38,500) The Pro tier introduces significant hardware upgrades. It is powered by the Nvidia Jetson Thor chip—previously confirmed during the unveil—and features active degrees of freedom (DoF) in the waist, hands, and neck.

4. Max Edition: RMB 360,000 (~$50,000) The flagship model includes the Thor compute platform and upgrades the mechanicals to "industrial-grade" high-precision components with longer service lives, intended for heavy-duty commercial deployment.

The Price War: EngineAI vs. Unitree

The timing and pricing of the T800 launch signal a fierce price war in the Chinese humanoid sector. The primary target appears to be Unitree, whose H-series robots have set the standard for affordable, high-performance bipeds.

Unitree recently announced its H2 humanoid with a major hardware overhaul at a price of $29,900 (approx. RMB 215,000). By pricing the Basic T800 at roughly $25,000 (RMB 180,000), EngineAI has managed to undercut its main rival by nearly $5,000.

While Unitree offers the smaller, educational G1 humanoid for roughly $13,800, and the new R1 for around $5500 - $6000, those robots are much smaller. In the "full-size" category (170cm+), the T800 is now effectively the price-to-beat.

2026: The Year of Delivery?

The pricing is attractive, but the timeline is the catch. The June 2026 shipping estimate aligns with EngineAI’s previously stated roadmap to promote scenario-based verification throughout that year.

This long lead time suggests that while the T800’s performance in videos is real, mass manufacturing is still being ramped up. It mirrors a broader industry trend where hardware announcements are increasingly outpacing production capacity, as companies race to lock in orders and developer mindshare in a rapidly crowding market.

For now, the T800 remains a "pre-order" promise. But with a price point that rivals a mid-range sedan, EngineAI has proven that the race to commoditize humanoid hardware is moving faster than most anticipated.