Contract & logistics
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
Total cost of ownership adds up all the expenses linked to a piece of equipment over its lifetime: purchase, import and taxes, training, maintenance, parts, insurance, storage and obsolescence. It is the only figure that allows a fair comparison between buying and hiring.
Updated on 12 October 2026 · Libella Robotics · Also known as: TCO, full cost, lifetime cost
The classic mistake is to compare a list price with a daily rate. For a bipedal humanoid, the published list price is between $13,500 and $16,000 depending on configuration; once import costs and VAT are added, the real entry ticket is closer to €20,000 incl. VAT.
Then come items that appear on no purchase invoice: the time needed to train an operator, maintenance, storage and transport for each use. And above all obsolescence: in a market where generations follow one another quickly, the residual value after two years is uncertain.
The tipping point lies beyond about ten days of use per year. Below that, hiring transfers all of this risk to the hire company: you pay for the effect produced on the day, not for the depreciation of a machine.
Key facts
| G1 list price | ≈ $13,500 to $16,000 depending on configuration |
|---|---|
| Real entry ticket | ≈ €20,000 incl. VAT, import and VAT included |
| Tipping point | Beyond about ten days of use per year |