- Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng will directly lead the robotics business to accelerate commercialization efforts.
- The company targets humanoid robot mass production and initial deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Xpeng is accelerating its ambitions in the humanoid robotics sector by placing Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng in direct charge of the company's robotics operations. In an internal letter to employees, He announced that he would personally assume the role of "CEO" of the robotics business with immediate effect. The move reflects the company's determination to strengthen execution and speed up commercialization as competition intensifies in the embodied intelligence market. The leadership change is also viewed as a significant milestone in the company's long-term transformation strategy.
According to He Xiaopeng, the robotics division has reached a critical stage comparable to the period before Xpeng launched its first production vehicle, the G3 SUV. He described the current phase as the threshold of large-scale manufacturing and product delivery, where strategic decisions and operational efficiency will determine future success. The company believes the robotics business is approaching a historic turning point that could define its next growth chapter.
This management upgrade represents an important step in Xpeng's transition from a smart vehicle manufacturer to a physical AI company. He outlined a long-term development roadmap built around three major growth pillars: automobiles, robotics, and globalization. The strategy aims to leverage the company's existing strengths while expanding into new technology-driven markets that could shape the next decade of growth.
To support this vision, Xpeng plans to transfer the expertise it has accumulated in automotive supply chains, manufacturing operations, engineering processes, and international expansion directly into its robotics business. Management believes these established capabilities can significantly shorten the path to commercialization while improving product quality and production efficiency for future humanoid robots.
Under the latest roadmap, Xpeng intends to begin mass production and initial deliveries of its advanced humanoid robots during the fourth quarter of 2026. The commercialization plan extends beyond manufacturing, with robots expected to be deployed in the company's offline retail stores across China during the first quarter of 2027. These robots are expected to assist customers and perform shopping guide functions in selected locations.
Following domestic deployment, the company plans to expand humanoid robot availability into overseas markets during the second quarter of 2027. Longer-term objectives include introducing the robots into household environments by 2028. This phased rollout strategy is designed to validate performance in controlled commercial settings before broader consumer adoption takes place.
He Xiaopeng revealed that he has already dedicated at least one full day every week over the past year to robotics-related discussions, strategic planning, and key decision-making activities. While he recognizes the enormous opportunity represented by humanoid robotics, he also acknowledged the considerable challenges associated with achieving leadership in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving industry.
The robotics business combines several important capabilities across the broader Xpeng organization, including hardware development, large AI models, supply chain management, precision manufacturing, and marketing operations. Company leadership believes that integrating these diverse functions effectively will be essential for transforming technical achievements into commercially successful products during the mass-production phase.
A recent personnel transition has added complexity to the company's commercialization efforts. Earlier this month, Shi Xiaoxin, a key product leader within the robotics division and a founding contributor to the Iron humanoid robot project, departed from the company. Despite this leadership change, Xpeng continues to advance its production plans and infrastructure investments.
To prepare for large-scale manufacturing, Xpeng initiated construction of a humanoid robot production facility covering approximately 110,000 square meters during the first quarter of the year. The company also delivered the first ET1 robot prototype developed according to automotive-grade standards in January, demonstrating the integration of vehicle engineering expertise into robotics development and production processes.
At the company's Tech Day event in November 2025, the next-generation Iron humanoid robot attracted significant industry attention after demonstrating a highly natural and fluid walking performance. The realism of the demonstration led some observers to question whether a human operator was concealed inside the machine, prompting He Xiaopeng to publicly showcase the robot's internal structure to address skepticism.
Key Specifications of the Iron Humanoid Robot
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Battery Technology | All-solid-state battery |
| AI Chips | Three in-house Turing AI chips |
| Computing Power | 2,250 TOPS |
| AI Model | Second-generation VLA model |
The new-generation Iron humanoid robot incorporates an all-solid-state battery and three internally developed Turing AI chips. Together, these components provide a total computing capability of 2,250 TOPS. The robot is also integrated with Xpeng's second-generation Vision-Language-Action (VLA) large model, enabling advanced perception, reasoning, and action capabilities. These technologies form the foundation of the company's efforts to commercialize humanoid robots and establish a stronger position in the emerging physical AI market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did He Xiaopeng take direct control of Xpeng's robotics business?
He Xiaopeng assumed direct leadership to accelerate the commercialization and mass-production readiness of Xpeng's humanoid robotics operations. The robotics division has entered a crucial stage where coordination across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, AI development, and marketing functions is essential. By taking personal responsibility for strategic decisions and execution, He aims to strengthen collaboration across business units and improve the company's ability to compete effectively in the rapidly growing embodied intelligence and physical AI sectors.
When will Xpeng begin delivering its humanoid robots?
Xpeng plans to achieve mass production and begin initial deliveries of its advanced humanoid robots during the fourth quarter of 2026. The company intends to deploy robots in its retail stores across China during the first quarter of 2027 before expanding into overseas markets in the second quarter of 2027. Over time, Xpeng aims to introduce these robots into household environments, with broader consumer adoption targeted for 2028 as commercialization efforts mature and production capacity expands.
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