Chinese language EV firm Xpeng confirmed off its latest humanoid robotic in Guangzhou on Nov. 5, 2025.
CNBC | Evelyn Cheng
Guangzhou, CHINA — Chinese language electrical automotive firm Xpeng plans to launch robotaxis subsequent yr after beforehand claiming it would not be an actual enterprise within the close to future and took the wraps off of its newest humanoid robotic mannequin.
Xpeng’s expertise push mirrors one among its key rivals Tesla, because the Guangzhou, China-headquartered firm seems to be to place itself as extra than simply an electrical automotive agency.
The automaker introduced on Wednesday as a part of its “AI Day” that it’s launching three robotaxi fashions. The autos will use 4 of Xpeng’s self-developed “Turing” AI chips. Xpeng claims the chips characterize the mixed highest in-car computing energy on the planet, at 3,000 TOPS, an trade measure.
The semiconductors energy Xpeng’s “vision-language-action (VLA)” mannequin, now in its second iteration. Any such AI fashions bear in mind inputs like visible cues that may assist with purposes like driverless vehicles or robotics.
Alibaba introduced Wednesday that it’s partnering with Xpeng on robotaxis by way of the e-commerce firm’s digital mapping subsidiary AutoNavi and Amaps app, which additionally features a ride-hailing portal.
The Xpeng robotaxi contains an exterior show of pace and different data on the automobile’s solar visors.
Xpeng mentioned it plans to start out testing robotaxis in Guangzhou and different Chinese language cities subsequent yr.
Co-president Brian Gu informed CNBC final week that robotaxis will “finally be a worldwide phenomenon” however that it will take time to get there, particularly given regulation. Again in April 2024, he cautioned that self-driving taxis would not change into a major enterprise for at the least 5 years.
Throughout a gaggle interview with reporters on Wednesday, Gu addressed his change in tone from final yr towards robotaxis.
“The tech is occurring quicker than we anticipated,” Gu mentioned.
He famous that the AI developments and the numerous enhance in computing energy “give us the arrogance we’re close to the inflection level” for robotaxis.
Xpeng’s technique for robotaxis is to make two classes of vehicles: one for business self-driving shared autos, and one other for absolutely autonomous private vehicles which may be solely shared amongst members of the family.
Xpeng’s robotaxi bulletins come as Chinese language gamers resembling Pony.ai, WeRide and Baidu have ramped up international growth plans after rolling out self-driving taxis to the general public in components of China. Tesla this yr launched its long-awaited robotaxi program in components of Texas.
Humanoid robotic
Just like Tesla’s push into humanoid robots, Xpeng on Wednesday introduced its personal model, the second-generation Iron robotic. The Chinese language firm plans to start mass manufacturing of the robots subsequent yr.
Throughout a presentation on Wednesday, CEO He Xiaopeng downplayed the probability that the humanoids will quickly be usable in households, and mentioned it was too expensive to make use of them in factories given the low value of labor in China. As a substitute, he mentioned the robots will first be used as tour guides, gross sales assistants and workplace constructing guides, starting in Xpeng services.
He mentioned that he does not know what number of robots Xpeng will promote within the subsequent 10 years, however it is going to be greater than the variety of vehicles.
The humanoid robotic makes use of three of Xpeng’s Turing AI chips and a solid-state battery, with plans for personalization choices for features of the product like physique form and hair fashion.
Xiaopeng He, CEO of Xpeng, confirmed off the corporate’s plan for robotaxis at an occasion in Guangzhou, China, on Nov. 5, 2025.
CNBC | Evelyn Cheng
Xpeng Co-President Gu mentioned on Wednesday that the corporate has been creating some expertise earlier than Tesla however has not been as vocal in selling it.
“What we’re pursuing from a tech and product perspective, there are some similarities with Tesla…There are some areas that we most likely began sooner than Tesla,” Gu mentioned, referring to flying vehicles and humanoid robots.
Xpeng has developed a flying automotive product.
However Gu acknowledged that Tesla has executed a greater and extra high-profile job at sharing its commercialization plans, which Xpeng has not executed as a lot till in the present day.
