Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng Leads Robotics Unit as Humanoid Robot Mass Production Nears

Chinese electric‑vehicle maker Xpeng announced that its chief executive, He Xiaopeng, will personally head the company’s robotics division. In an internal letter to staff, He said he will assume the role of “CEO” of the robotics unit effective immediately, underscoring Xpeng’s shift from a smart‑car maker to a "physical AI" company.

The move comes as Xpeng targets mass production of its IRON humanoid robot in the fourth quarter of 2026, with initial deliveries slated for early 2027. The company plans to trial the robots in its retail stores, expand to overseas markets later in 2027, and eventually reach household use by 2028. To support the effort, Xpeng has built a 110,000‑square‑metre production base and delivered its first ET1 prototype earlier this year. The announcement follows the recent resignation of Shi Xiaoxin, a senior director who led the IRON project.

He cited the competitive “embodied intelligence” market and the need for rapid implementation, noting that the robotics business will draw on Xpeng’s automotive supply‑chain, manufacturing, and AI capabilities. The company’s first‑quarter revenue fell 17.6% year‑on‑year, but He presented the robotics push as a major revenue and margin driver for the future.