XPeng Rolls Out China’s First Mass-Produced Robotaxi from the Factory

News came straight from Guangzhou this morning. XPeng has now sent the first robotaxi built for large-scale output down its assembly line. This marks the initial time any carmaker in the country has reached that stage through its own complete development process. Production took place at the company’s plants serving the region. The vehicle draws on the GX platform already used for one of XPeng’s full-size SUVs sold to regular buyers.

XPeng includes four powerful chips that handle the system’s grunt work. Together, they manage three thousand tera operations per second, which is more than enough to fuel the cutting-edge AI model known as VLA 2.0. Cameras capture all of the views of the surroundings, eliminating the need for laser sensors or expensive pre-loaded high-detail road maps. The system can make decisions in under 80 milliseconds, a significant improvement over previous versions that took twelve times as long to complete the same task, and it appears to be producing results that are five times better in terms of takeovers, ride smoothness, and ability to handle a wide range of driving scenarios.

Safety is taken to a whole new level with a six-layer design that covers every important system twice over, leaving no stone untouched. The steering system even incorporates a Bosch component intended expressly for full drive-by-wire operation. This same hardware basis is used in both the robotaxi and the consumer GX SUV, which helps to keep pricing low. XPeng aims to produce each unit for less than 200,000 yuan.

Inside, passengers will find a cabin intended for comfort and convenience. The windows have been replaced with privacy glass, allowing you to rest in solitude. The seats are also adjustable, with gravity-style support similar to that found in high-end vehicles, to help you achieve a comfortable driving posture. There are displays in the back enabling passengers to watch movies or shows as they ride. If you want to adjust the lighting, temperature, or any other setting, simply ask the voice assistant; there are no buttons or screens to get in the way. As you might guess, there will be several variants available: one with five seats, one with six, and one with seven.

Back in January, XPeng obtained the necessary permit to test its level 4 technology on public roads in Guangzhou, which was a significant milestone. Then, in March, they established a specialized unit only for robotaxi work, paving the stage for production to begin today. To get things off the ground, they’ll launch a test program in the second half of this year. Riders will be able to schedule excursions through an app, and at first, a safety driver will be on board to collect real-world data and learn how people behave to such situations. A few years from now, specifically in 2027, they intend to have things working at full speed without anyone on board.

Outside developers will be able to access some of the software capabilities via an open kit. Amap, Alibaba’s mapping service, has already signed on as the first partner, and they are working on bookings and route planning. This partnership could be a tremendous assist, as it taps into hundreds of millions of users who currently use Amap on a monthly basis, and it should make it much easier to get rides across cities, or even nations, without requiring any significant adjustments.