Robots: Tesla and Unitree
Assembly is thin. A full-stack maker is the exception
Difficulty layers, margin pyramid, hard≠rich, profit migration, Tesla compare—memo spine expanded.
Read robots through three questions
- Where the money sits: actuators and hands eat most of the BOM.
- Why Tesla is hard: almost no mature supply chain.
- Can Unitree keep 60% gross: full-stack vs price war and R&D shift.
Updated 2026-08-17 · Research notes, not investment advice.
- 1. The machine itself is a thin businessBar
- 2. Tesla: the missing supply chainThesis cards
- 3. Unitree: high margin, then a profit dropBar
- 4. Where the money in one robot goesPie
- 5. Hardest steps: four layersThesis cards
- 6. Gross-margin pyramidBar
- 7. Hard ≠ richTable
- 8. Profit migration: 2026 / 2028 / 2030Timeline
- 9. Tesla vs UnitreeSide-by-side
- 10. Robots: risk listThesis cards