Chinese EV Maker XPENG Unveils Robotaxis, Robots, and Flying Cars

China’s electric carmaker XPENG is shifting gears from road to sky, unveiling plans for self-driving taxis, humanoid robots, and flying cars in its boldest expansion yet. 

Testing for the driverless fleet is set to begin next year as the company broadens its reach across land and air.

The move marks a turn in China’s auto race, where electric makers are no longer content with wheels alone, and are now chasing new ground in automation, robotics, and flight.

No driver, no problem

XPENG is gearing up to deploy three new robotaxi models, with trials beginning in Guangzhou before expanding to other major Chinese cities, indicating the company’s shift from a traditional automaker to a full-scale mobility operator.

The driverless cars will connect to Alibaba’s Amap, letting users book autonomous rides directly through the app’s ride-hailing service, giving the EV maker instant market reach while keeping its technology in-house.

Each vehicle, available in five-, six-, and seven-seat variants, will cost under 200,000 yuan (about $28,000 at the current rate). They’ll run on XPENG’s self-developed Turing chips, which deliver 3,000 trillion operations per second, among the highest in-car computing power in the industry, according to CNBC.

XPENG’s Vision-Language-Action model powers the fleet, using visual cues to make split-second driving decisions. In internal trials, CEO He Xiaopeng said the system finished a 49-minute test route with only one human intervention, while Tesla’s Full Self-Driving required seven disengagements over the same distance, the South China Morning Post reported.

Walking, talking, working

The carmaker’s humanoid robot, aptly named Iron, is taking its first steps toward mass production. The second-generation model walks, talks, and responds to human interaction, an early preview of how the company sees artificial intelligence extending beyond the driver’s seat.

The Iron robot runs on three of XPENG’s self-developed Turing chips and a solid-state battery, the same technology behind its upcoming robotaxi fleet. About 1,000 units are planned for production in 2026, with initial deployments inside the company’s own facilities.

For now, Iron won’t be greeting families at home. Xiaopeng told CNBC that the robots will start as tour guides, sales assistants, and office greeters, given China’s low labor costs. Still, he predicted a future where “there will be more robots than cars”.

A new fleet rises — literally

XPENG also unveiled two flying car projects in development, the Aridge Land Aircraft Carrier and an upgraded A868 model, both slated to take its business off the ground.

The Aridge Land Aircraft Carrier, designed for driving and flight, is set to enter mass production in 2026 with 10,000 units planned. The A868, a sleeker air-only model, promises a range of more than 500 kilometers, speeds of up to 360 kilometers per hour, and over two hours of flight time.

These innovations position XPENG among a handful of automakers trying to turn flying cars from concept to reality. 

Setting the course for the next era of mobility

XPENG’s rapid expansion is attracting global automakers, with its Vision-Language-Action model set to power future Volkswagen vehicles. The partnership shows how Chinese innovation is increasingly molding the world’s next generation of intelligent transport.

Co-President Brian Gu said the company’s shift toward autonomy came sooner than expected. “The tech is happening faster than we anticipated,” he told CNBC.

That momentum reflects a broader global race toward autonomy. Chinese rivals Pony.ai, WeRide, and Baidu are expanding their self-driving trials. In the US, Tesla continues testing its robotaxi program, while Alphabet’s Waymo is rolling out driverless ride-hailing in Detroit, San Diego, and Las Vegas — steps toward a nationwide network.

Elsewhere in the mobility sector, Uber’s stock slipped despite reporting third-quarter revenue that surpassed expectations.