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Xpeng Rebrands as a Physical AI Company, Sets Robotaxi Trials and 2026 Humanoid Production

Xpeng pitches proprietary AI technology as its edge in China’s price-pressed auto market.

Overview

  • He Xiaopeng said the company wants to be known as a “physical AI” firm rather than just a carmaker, reflecting a broader pivot beyond EVs.
  • Street trials of robotaxis will begin “very soon,” and mass production of humanoid robots is scheduled for the second half of 2026, according to the CEO.
  • At an event in Guangzhou, Xpeng unveiled four revamped models featuring 3D navigation, long-range hazard alerts and improvements to autonomous driving.
  • The company emphasized integrated AI built on its in-house Turing chip to power vehicles, robotaxi systems and humanoid robotics.
  • Previous company disclosures detailed plans for three robotaxi models in 2026, an open-source Vision-Language-Action model and a robotaxi service offered via Alibaba’s Amap platform.