XPENG

XPENG has closed a record-breaking $900 million financing round for its humanoid robotics division, backed by IDG Capital, Alibaba, and Tencent, ahead of late-2026 mass production.

During a technical workshop in Beijing, XPENG's Mi Liangchuan revealed that while robotic AI is scaling rapidly, hardware reliability and a lack of clear data strategies remain significant hurdles for the 'Iron' humanoid.

Xpeng is transitioning from prototypes to physical infrastructure, announcing a 110,000-square-meter production base in Guangzhou to industrialize its "Iron" humanoid platform.

In an internal letter and a festive social media demonstration, He Xiaopeng reaffirms a goal for IRON to become the world’s first mass-produced high-level humanoid.

A new technical deep-dive from XPENG Robotics reveals the 'body logic' behind the IRON humanoid, including a rebuilt reinforcement learning stack and proprietary algorithms used to simulate complex 3D-printed lattice muscles.

Xpeng’s "Iron" humanoid robot took to a public stage in Shenzhen for a surprise interaction event, showcasing its "human-like" gait and "bionic" design to weekend shoppers.

CEO He Xiaopeng confirms the first "automotive-grade" engineering trial unit of the IRON robot has rolled off the line, signaling a major push toward mass production later this year.

During its Q3 earnings call, Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng confirmed the ''Iron'' robot will enter mass production in late 2026, a timeline that places it in a direct race with Tesla''s Optimus.

A new technical deep-dive from robotics analyst Scott Walter reveals the ambitious, and "crazy," hardware inside Xpeng''s new humanoid, including a 5-DoF waist, a 2-DoF scapula for added reach, and a relocated knee actuator. The analysis also confirms the bot on stage was a hybrid, using older-generation hands.

A new video from a Chinese journalist provides an up-close look at the ''Iron'' humanoid robot Xpeng displayed at its AI Day. The inspection confirms details about its "bionic muscle"-like padding and, significantly, appears to validate earlier speculation that the display models do not yet feature the new ''dexterous hands'' detailed in the keynote.

In a new video, Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng shows a bare-metal 'Iron' robot dancing. He claims the human-like motion, which sparked debate at AI Day, is due to a new 'human-like spine' and an AI model that can learn complex movements from human data in just two hours.

Following speculation that its AI Day demo was a human or an older robot, Xpeng has released videos showing the new ''Iron'' robot''s underlying hardware. Analysts are now detailing significant design changes, including a new hip and knee configuration.

After Xpeng''s AI Day demo prompted speculation of a ''human in a suit,'' the company proved it was a robot. But new analysis suggests the bot on stage may have been its older ''Iron'' model, not the next-gen robot detailed in the keynote.

Xpeng's 2025 AI Day featured a new, highly realistic humanoid robot walking onstage. CEO He Xiaopeng detailed the 'human-like' design, a new VLT AI model, and a commercial strategy that avoids factories and homes—for now.

The EV maker's 2025 AI Day is expected to be the formal unveiling of the 'VLT' AI system, which the company claims will allow its 'Iron' humanoid robot to 'evolve into thinking.'

Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng announced the company's next-generation IRON humanoid robot will feature a new Vision-Language-Task (VLT) AI system. The move is part of a broader strategy to shift from remote control to true autonomy, mirroring an industry-wide push for advanced, multi-modal AI brains in robotics.

Soft Robotics Podcast host Marwa ElDiwiny and engineer Scott Walter dissect the rotary-vs-linear actuator debate shaping today’s humanoid robots—explaining why most builders favor compact rotary joints while others bet on planetary-roller-screw cylinders.

Figure CEO Brett Adcock refuted a Fast Company claim that his company uses planetary roller screws, stating Figure relies on rotary actuators. The dispute highlights a key design debate in humanoid robotics: direct rotary drive versus linear actuators (which use screws) with linkages, as detailed by expert Scott Walter.

Xpeng provided an update on its 'Iron' humanoid robot at its Global Brand Night, emphasizing the goal of full autonomy over remote control. The company views robotics as harder than auto manufacturing, requiring L3 autonomy for mass production, targeted for 2026 after factory pilots. Iron features 62 DoF, a Turing AI chip, and is designed for complex tasks, including potentially working alongside humans in factories.

A recent Global Times report highlights China's strategic push in AI and humanoid robotics, citing national policy support, recent product launches by companies like Dobot and Midea, and growing commercial interest, while suggesting the country is entering an early stage of mass production.