A Decade of Acceleration: How China’s Mobile Robot Industry Rose to Global Leadership (2015–2025)
Release time:
2025-12-05
A Decade of Momentum, and Mountains and Seas Ahead.
Looking back from 2015 to 2025, China’s mobile robot (AGV/AMR) industry has indeed completed a remarkable leap—from technological catch-up to global market leadership. This decade is not only a chronicle of industrial growth, but also an evolutionary epic written through core data. The following summarizes this ten-year journey from several key data dimensions you are focused on.
I. Market Scale: An “Exponential Leap” from Billions to Tens of Billions
The past ten years have witnessed explosive expansion in China’s mobile robot market.
At the early stage of the industry, sales in 2015 were only about RMB 1.2 billion. Since then, driven by a compound annual growth rate exceeding 40%, the market soared to RMB 12.6 billion by 2021—achieving a tenfold increase within seven years. This strong upward momentum has continued, and by 2024, annual sales reached RMB 22.1 billion.
Even more striking is the accumulation of the installed base. From the initial stock in 2015, China’s cumulative AGV/AMR inventory exceeded 400,000 units by 2023. This marks the moment when mobile robots moved from a novel concept to indispensable, scaled application assets in manufacturing and logistics.
II. Technology Pathway: A “Shift to Autonomy” from Guided to Natural Navigation
The industry’s technological evolution is clearly reflected in the changing share of navigation methods.
In the early years, guided navigation—such as magnetic tape and QR code navigation—dominated the market, relying on preset paths with limited flexibility.
A major turning point occurred in 2023: products based on laser SLAM and vision SLAM, representing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), surpassed QR-code-guided AGVs for the first time, taking more than 40% of market sales. This milestone reflects the market’s strong demand for more intelligent, flexible robots that require no environmental modification.
By 2025, AMRs are projected to further rise to a 32% sales share, confirming natural navigation as the irreversible technological mainstream.
III. Industrial Ecosystem: From “Sparse Beginnings” to “Thriving Prosperity”
The number of enterprises is the most direct indicator of industrial vitality. Over the decade, China’s mobile robot industry evolved from a tiny cluster to a flourishing ecosystem.
Before 2015, there were fewer than 20 domestic companies dedicated to AGV/AMR development. With the rise of e-commerce logistics, exploding demand, and increasing venture capital, the industry entered a golden era. By 2021, the number of AGV/AMR manufacturers had surged to around 220, with over 600 companies in the related supply chain.
As of July 2025, the total number of registered mobile-robot-related enterprises nationwide has reached 85,900, forming a massive and vibrant innovation cluster—transforming the landscape from “scattered stars” to “a fleet in full sail.”
IV. Competitive Landscape: From “Wild Growth” to “Strength in Consolidation”
While the number of enterprises grew rapidly, competition has intensified, and the head-effect has become increasingly pronounced.
A key indicator is the growth in the number of companies exceeding RMB 100 million in annual orders. In 2024, there were 42 such enterprises, with four surpassing RMB 1 billion in annual orders. This signals the end of the early phase of wild expansion. Resources are now flowing toward companies with core technology, scale advantages, and strong solution capabilities.
Meanwhile, the average price of automated forklifts dropped sharply—from around RMB 600,000 per unit in 2018 to roughly RMB 220,000 in 2023. Behind this improvement in cost-performance lies the pain of intensified competition and pressure on profitability—a consolidation phase that ultimately pushes the industry toward healthier, more concentrated development.
V. Yikong’s Vision: Advancing Toward New Horizons Through System-Level Intelligence
Standing at the threshold of a new decade, the future ahead is a vast landscape shaped by technological innovation and ecosystem collaboration. The next chapter of the industry will revolve around two core directions:
Deep integration of technology and application scenarios
Mobile robots will evolve from stand-alone “devices” into intelligent production units capable of sensing, decision-making, and collaboration, driven by embodied intelligence and digital-twin technologies.
Open and collaborative ecosystem development
Through platformization and standardization, the industry will break down connectivity barriers and build an open, win-win ecosystem, unleashing the full potential of mobile robots across diverse industries.
Yikong firmly believes that when technological depth meets ecosystem breadth, the industry will evolve from being “strong” to truly “great.” With an open mindset, we will work hand in hand with our peers, driving intelligent logistics through system-level intelligence and advancing toward the vast “mountains and seas” of China’s intelligent manufacturing.
(Note: Data source — Mobile Robot Industry Alliance)
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