Xpeng Unveils Mass-Produced Humanoid Robots and 3,000 TOPS AI Chips
- Xpeng shares surged to multi-year highs as the company unveiled concrete plans to mass-produce "Iron" humanoid robots and launch robotaxis by 2025, shifting its narrative from an EV maker to a broad AI technology firm.
Xpeng Inc. is undergoing a significant identity shift that has captured the attention of Wall Street and Asian markets alike. The Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer saw its shares surge to their highest level in over three years, driven by a strategic pivot toward humanoid robotics and autonomous driving technologies. Hong Kong-listed shares rallied 18%, marking the biggest one-day gain since 2022, while its American depositary receipts jumped 16%. This enthusiasm stems from investors repricing Xpeng not merely as a car company, but as a diversified technology conglomerate capable of competing in high-growth verticals beyond the saturated EV market.
Central to this renewed optimism is the unveiling of the "Iron" humanoid robot. During its recent "AI Day," Xpeng showcased the second-generation model, which it plans to mass-produce as early as next year. Unlike competitors who often target industrial manufacturing or home care for their droids, CEO He Xiaopeng has taken a pragmatic, cost-conscious approach. Citing the relatively low cost of human labor in Chinese factories, he indicated that the Iron robots will initially be deployed as tour guides, sales assistants, and administrative aides within Xpeng’s own facilities. This measured rollout utilizes three of the company’s proprietary "Turing" AI chips and solid-state batteries, allowing for a customizable platform that includes variable body shapes and hairstyles.
Simultaneously, the company is aggressively accelerating its robotaxi timeline, a move that represents a sharp reversal from executive sentiment just months ago. Co-president Brian Gu, who had cautioned in early 2024 that autonomous taxis were at least five years away from viability, has now declared that the technology is "happening faster than anticipated." Consequently, Xpeng plans to launch three robotaxi models in 2025, testing them initially in Guangzhou. This confidence is bolstered by the rapid maturation of AI computing power, leading leadership to believe the industry has reached a critical inflection point for commercialization.
The backbone of this technological leap is Xpeng’s heavy investment in proprietary silicon. The new vehicles and robots will be powered by the self-developed "Turing" AI chips, which the company claims offer the highest in-car computing power globally at 3,000 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second). These semiconductors drive Xpeng’s "vision-language-action" (VLA) model, a sophisticated AI architecture that processes complex visual cues to facilitate decision-making in both driverless cars and humanoid robots. By controlling the chip architecture, Xpeng is attempting to secure a vertical integration advantage similar to that of Apple or Tesla.
Strategic partnerships are further validating Xpeng’s roadmap. In the autonomous driving sector, the company has teamed up with e-commerce giant Alibaba, utilizing its digital mapping subsidiary AutoNavi and the Amaps ride-hailing portal to deploy its robotaxi fleet. On the manufacturing front, sentiment has been buoyed by the upcoming launch of the ID.UNYX 08, the first vehicle produced in collaboration with Volkswagen Anhui Automotive Co. This joint venture with the German legacy automaker provides Xpeng with manufacturing credibility and a broader footprint in the competitive auto market.
Market analysts are increasingly viewing these developments as a sign that Xpeng is successfully differentiating itself from domestic rivals like Nio and Li Auto. While Li Auto’s shares have dropped 15% this year, Xpeng has soared over 130%, signaling that the market prefers its diversified "tech-first" strategy. Analysts at Macquarie Capital noted that investors are now factoring in the "upside optionality" of these new ventures—including flying cars and AI semiconductors—effectively treating the core EV business as just one pillar of a much larger ecosystem.
Inevitably, Xpeng’s trajectory invites comparisons to Tesla, a rivalry the Chinese company is embracing. Co-president Gu acknowledged the similarities in their product roadmaps, specifically regarding humanoid robots and autonomous transport. However, he pointed out that Xpeng has been developing certain technologies, such as flying cars, for longer than its American counterpart, even if they have been quieter about it. By stepping into the spotlight with concrete commercialization plans, Xpeng is signaling its intent to challenge Tesla’s dominance not just on the roads, but in the broader landscape of artificial intelligence and robotics.