Xpeng CEO: Making Robots About 20 Times Harder Than Building Cars; Mass Production Underway

On September 17, 2026, Xpeng Motors CEO He Xiaopeng said in a media interview after the launch of the G9L SUV that developing robots is about 20 times harder than making cars. He said Xpeng's robots are largely developed in-house across hardware, software, design, and supply chain, and have entered gradual mass production.

He explained that he had previously been reluctant to show the robots because the company had not been able to mass-produce them, adding that many robot capability demonstrations in the market are edited videos. He also said that while the journey from R&D to production has been tough, the team remains positive. The company's robot capabilities could see a significant leap between the fourth quarter of 2026 and the second quarter of 2027.

On the same day, Xpeng launched the G9L SUV, positioned as a flagship tech SUV in the large five-seat segment. The model offers extended-range and pure electric powertrains, with a limited-time starting price of 231,800 yuan. According to Xpeng, the vehicle features a million-pixel AI digital projection headlight co-developed with Huawei, a four-motor executive center console, and a new version of the second-generation VLA. The company claims it enters the first tier of domestic L2-level intelligent driving.