Xpeng Targets 2026 for Autonomous Humanoid Robot 'Iron' Mass Production

Xpeng Reaffirms Humanoid Robot Ambitions, Eyes 2026 Mass Production

Chinese technology company Xpeng, known primarily for its electric vehicles, provided an update on its humanoid robot project, dubbed 'Iron,' during its recent Global Brand Night event. Reiterating points made previously, the company emphasized its focus on developing autonomous robots rather than remotely operated machines, setting a tentative target for mass production in 2026.

The Autonomy Challenge

CEO & Chairman, He Xiaopeng, contrasted Xpeng's goals with the current state of robotics, noting that many existing humanoid and quadrupedal robots still rely heavily on human remote control. "The kind of robot that we're developing here at Xpeng is not one that needs to be controlled," he stated. "We expect it to have autonomy and its own thinking to some extent."

If a car doesn't have the intelligence, it still can be used because you can drive it, but when a robot doesn't have the intelligence that it requires... it's going to be useless.

Xpeng views robotics development as significantly more challenging than automotive manufacturing. "If a car doesn't have the intelligence, it still can be used because you can drive it," He Xiaopeng explained. "But when a robot doesn't have the intelligence that it requires... it's going to be useless." The company suggested achieving Level 3 (L3) autonomy, borrowing terminology from the autonomous driving scale, would be a prerequisite for mass production.

This pursuit requires substantial investment, with He Xiaopeng characterizing 50 billion RMB (approx. $7 billion USD) as merely an "entry-level capital requirement" for serious robotics R&D.

Iron: Specs and Strategy

First unveiled publicly around its 2024 AI Day, the 'Iron' robot stands 1.78 meters tall (about 5'10") and weighs 70 kg (154 lbs). The latest update mentioned 62 active degrees of freedom, slightly different from the 60+ joints and 200 degrees of freedom cited in earlier reports. The robot incorporates Xpeng's self-developed Turing AI chip.

The company stressed the importance of a human-like form factor for data collection, stating that autonomous robots need to learn from human actions "from scratch." While competitors might focus on locomotion or lower body mechanics, Xpeng highlighted the complexity of hands as a key hardware challenge and the integration of perception, cognition, and language processing as the main AI hurdle.

Factory Trials and Future Roadmap

Iron robots are currently involved in a pilot project within Xpeng's factory in Guangzhou, China. Following this testing phase, Xpeng aims to begin mass production in 2026, initially targeting industrial applications. The company extended an invitation to factory operators to observe the robots and explore potential synergies with human workers.

While acknowledging the significant development and iteration required before such robots could become household items, Xpeng clearly positions Iron as a core part of its broader technology strategy, which spans electric vehicles, AI development, and even flying cars. The focus remains on achieving a high degree of autonomy to differentiate its robotic endeavors.

Watch the talk here: