Overview

The Go2-W is the wheeled-leg variant of the Unitree Go2 and launched in August 2024. Instead of paws, it features a wheel with hub motor on each leg, making it faster and more efficient on paved surfaces without sacrificing the climbing ability of a legged robot.

Design

When standing, it measures 70 by 43 by 50 centimeters and weighs around eighteen kilograms, three more than the Go2 with paws. It is powered by sixteen motors: twelve in the joints, four in the wheels. The wheels are pneumatic tires with approximately eighteen centimeters in diameter. On its back sits an expansion bay; on the front of its head are an ultra-wide-angle 3D lidar, an HD wide-angle camera, and a front light.

Technology and AI

The robot travels up to 2.5 meters per second, handles inclines up to 35 degrees, and overcomes individual obstacles of nearly seventy centimeters. The peak torque of the joints is around 45 Newton-meters, as with the Go2. The battery with 15,000 milliamp-hours at 33.6 volts lasts one and a half to three hours and can be fast-charged at nine amps. Onboard is an eight-core CPU, optionally an NVIDIA Orin NX.

Market Significance

No list price has been published. The Go2-W became known primarily through videos showing it doing handstands and descending stairs in wheel mode. From a technical perspective, the underlying fundamental question is more interesting: on paved surfaces, wheels outperform legs in consumption and speed, and the Go2-W was the first affordable device combining both.