Hubo 2 vs K2 Forerunner
Side-by-side comparison of Hubo 2 (KAIST) and K2 Forerunner (Kepler Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Last-Mile Delivery buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Hubo 2South Korea
- K2 ForerunnerChina
Year First Available
- Hubo 22009
- K2 Forerunner2025
Verified Deployments
- Hubo 20 Deployments
- K2 Forerunner0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Hubo 2$400,000
- K2 Forerunner$60,000
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Hubo 21.5 hrs
- K2 Forerunner8 hrs
Availability Status
- Hubo 2ACTIVE
- K2 ForerunnerACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Hubo 2125 mm
- K2 Forerunner180 mm
Weight
- Hubo 245 kg
- K2 Forerunner71 kg
Mobility Type
- Hubo 2bipedal
- K2 Forerunnerbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Hubo 2full bipedal
- K2 Forerunnerfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Hubo 21.5 m/s
- K2 Forerunner3.1 m/s
Running Capable
- Hubo 2dynamic walk
- K2 Forerunner—
Stair Climbing
- Hubo 2No
- K2 ForerunnerYes
Terrain
- Hubo 2flat indoor
- K2 Forerunnerflat indoor, uneven outdoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Hubo 22 kg
- K2 Forerunner30 kg
Total DOF
- Hubo 240
- K2 Forerunner19
Arm DOF
- Hubo 27
- K2 Forerunner7
Hand DOF
- Hubo 25
- K2 Forerunner11
Bimanual Coordination
- Hubo 2Yes
- K2 ForerunnerNo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Hubo 2Two PC/104 embedded computers with solid-state drives
- K2 ForerunnerNVIDIA Jetson
VLM Capable
- Hubo 2No
- K2 ForerunnerNo
Foundation Models
- Hubo 2—
- K2 Forerunnerfalse
Imitation Learning
- Hubo 2No
- K2 ForerunnerNo
Programming
- Hubo 2code_ros, proprietary_app, teleoperation
- K2 ForerunnerPython SDK
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Hubo 21.5 hrs
- K2 Forerunner8 hrs
Battery Swap
- Hubo 2No
- K2 ForerunnerNo
Software
SDK Languages
- Hubo 2code_ros, proprietary_app, teleoperation
- K2 ForerunnerPython
ROS Support
- Hubo 2Yes
- K2 ForerunnerYes
Open API
- Hubo 2Yes
- K2 ForerunnerYes
Reliability
IP Rating
- Hubo 2—
- K2 ForerunnerIP54
Deployment Maturity
- Hubo 2research
- K2 Forerunnercommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Hubo 2$400,000
- K2 Forerunner$60,000
Price Tier
- Hubo 2150K+
- K2 Forerunner50k_150k
Pricing Model
- Hubo 2purchase
- K2 Forerunneroutright purchase
Warranty
- Hubo 2—
- K2 Forerunner2 yrs
Applications
- Hubo 2robotics education, research, service robotics, disaster response
- K2 Forerunnerquality control, inspection, materials handling
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2009 | 2025 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $400,000 | $60,000 |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | 1.5 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 125 mm | 180 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 45 kg | 71 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 1.5 m/s | 3.1 m/s |
| Running Capable (values differ) | dynamic walk | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor, uneven outdoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 2 kg | 30 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 40 | 19 |
| Arm DOF | 7 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | 5 | 11 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Two PC/104 embedded computers with solid-state drives | NVIDIA Jetson |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | — | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_ros, proprietary_app, teleoperation | Python SDK |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 1.5 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | code_ros, proprietary_app, teleoperation | Python |
| ROS Support | Yes | Yes |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| IP Rating (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | — | IP54 |
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | research | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $400,000 | $60,000 |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 150K+ | 50k_150k |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | outright purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | — | 2 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | robotics education, research, service robotics, disaster response | quality control, inspection, materials handling |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Teleoperation, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Human Detection Method, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Production Pilots
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Hubo 2 and K2 Forerunner?
Hubo 2 is made by KAIST, based in KR. K2 Forerunner is made by Kepler Robotics, based in CN.
When were Hubo 2 and K2 Forerunner launched?
Hubo 2 launched in 2009. K2 Forerunner launched in 2025.
How much does Hubo 2 cost compared to K2 Forerunner?
Hubo 2 is listed at $400,000. K2 Forerunner is listed at $60,000.
How do Hubo 2 and K2 Forerunner compare on the Robo Index?
Hubo 2 scores 100/100. K2 Forerunner scores 73/100. The Robo Index blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
What is the payload difference between Hubo 2 and K2 Forerunner?
Hubo 2 carries up to 2 kg. K2 Forerunner carries up to 25 kg.
Are Hubo 2 and K2 Forerunner in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Humanoid on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Humanoid robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Humanoid TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Hubo 2 and K2 Forerunner?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time
8 min readHumanoid Robots
Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask
10 min readHumanoid Robots
Running a Humanoid Pilot: Scope, Success Criteria, and Exit Options
9 min readHumanoid Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
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About this comparison
Hubo 2 vs K2 Forerunner compares two robots in the humanoid category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robo Index is calculated.