Chinese EV company Xpeng showed off its newest humanoid robot in Guangzhou on Nov. 5, 2025.
CNBC | Evelyn Cheng
Guangzhou, CHINA — Xpeng, a prominent player in the electric vehicle market, is set to enter the robotaxi arena next year, marking a significant shift from its previous stance that such ventures would not be a viable business soon. This announcement coincides with the unveiling of their latest humanoid robot model.
With its headquarters based in Guangzhou, Xpeng aims to broaden its technological footprint, echoing strategies from competitors like Tesla. During its “AI Day” event, the company revealed plans for three new robotaxi models, each powered by four “Turing” AI chips developed in-house. These chips boast an impressive 3,000 TOPS in computing power, positioning them at the forefront of the industry.
The cutting-edge semiconductors are integral to Xpeng’s “vision-language-action (VLA)” AI model, now in its second generation. This model processes visual inputs to enhance the functionality of autonomous vehicles and robotics.
Moreover, Alibaba has joined forces with Xpeng to support the robotaxi initiative through its digital mapping services, AutoNavi and Amaps, which feature a ride-hailing platform.
One standout feature of the Xpeng robotaxi is the external display on the sun visors, providing real-time speed and other critical information. Testing of these autonomous vehicles is slated to begin in Guangzhou and other Chinese cities in the coming year.
Brian Gu, Xpeng’s Co-President, shared insights with CNBC, stating that while robotaxis are anticipated to become a worldwide trend, regulatory hurdles mean it will be some time before they reach full potential. “The tech is happening faster than we anticipated,” Gu remarked, noting the rapid advancements in AI and computing power as pivotal factors in the company’s strategic planning.
On the product front, Xpeng is developing two distinct categories of vehicles: commercial self-driving shared cars and fully autonomous personal vehicles designed for family use.
This move by Xpeng comes as other Chinese tech firms like Pony.ai, WeRide, and Baidu ramp up their global expansion following successful self-driving taxi deployments in China. Meanwhile, Tesla has recently launched its robotaxi service in Texas.
Humanoid Robot
In a move akin to Tesla’s foray into humanoid robotics, Xpeng has unveiled its second-generation Iron robot. Mass production is expected to commence next year, with initial deployments as tour guides, sales assistants, and office guides within Xpeng’s facilities.
CEO He Xiaopeng highlighted that while household use remains distant, and factory deployment not cost-effective due to China’s labor costs, the company foresees a higher number of robots than cars being sold over the next decade.
The humanoid robot, powered by three Turing AI chips and a solid-state battery, offers customization options, including body shape and hairstyle.
Xiaopeng He, CEO of Xpeng, showed off the company’s plan for robotaxis at an event in Guangzhou, China, on Nov. 5, 2025.
CNBC | Evelyn Cheng
Co-President Gu mentioned that Xpeng has been quietly advancing technologies, some even preceding Tesla’s efforts. “What we are pursuing from a tech and product perspective, there are some similarities with Tesla…There are some areas that we probably started earlier than Tesla,” Gu noted, referring to innovations like flying cars and humanoid robots.
While Xpeng has developed a flying car product, Gu acknowledged Tesla’s prowess in publicizing its commercial ambitions, a strategy Xpeng is now beginning to adopt.
Original Story at www.cnbc.com