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XPeng Sets 2026 Robotaxi Launch, Names Amap and Volkswagen as Key Partners

Trials will start in China using four in‑house Turing chips per vehicle with plans to open‑source its VLA model.

Overview

  • XPeng unveiled three Level‑4 robotaxi models — five‑, six‑ and seven‑seaters — built on a vision‑only stack without lidar or high‑precision maps, targeting trial operations in 2026.
  • Each vehicle will run four self‑developed Turing AI chips delivering a claimed 3,000 TOPS of compute, alongside redundant systems across computing, braking, vision, steering, battery and communications.
  • Alibaba’s AutoNavi/Amap will integrate XPeng robotaxi hailing, with testing set to begin in Guangzhou and additional Chinese cities next year.
  • XPeng said it will open‑source its second‑generation VLA and identified Volkswagen as a launch customer for its autonomous stack.
  • Analysts cautioned that safety mileage and licensing could push fully driverless operations beyond initial production, even as one estimate put unit costs below 200,000 yuan; XPeng also showcased a next‑gen Iron humanoid robot targeting mass production by end‑2026 and advanced flying‑car plans.