{"slug": "ev-maker-xpeng-set-to-challenge-tesla-in-embodied-ai-after-robotics-unit-raises", "title": "EV maker Xpeng set to challenge Tesla in embodied AI after robotics unit raises US$900m", "summary": "Xpeng's robotics unit Dogotix raised US$900 million in a funding round that valued it at US$6.3 billion, with backers including Alibaba Group Holding, Tencent Holdings, IDG Capital, and Gaorong Ventures investing US$600 million and Xpeng pledging US$200 million. The fundraising, announced Monday, is the largest single private-equity deal involving a Chinese robotics maker and positions Xpeng to challenge Tesla in embodied AI and humanoid robots. Xpeng also reported a second-quarter net loss of 1.34 billion yuan (US$199.4 million), up 179% year on year, on revenue of 19.7 billion yuan, up 8%.", "body_md": "# EV maker Xpeng set to challenge Tesla in embodied AI after robotics unit raises US$900m\n\nBackers including Alibaba, Tencent and IDG put up a combined US$600 million while Xpeng itself pledges US$200 million\n\n[Daniel Ren](/author/daniel-ren)in Shanghai\n\n[Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng](https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3336166/xpeng-steps-go-global-drive-malaysian-ev-assembly-hub-southeast-asian-market?module=inline&pgtype=article)has secured US$900 million in funding from high-profile investors including Alibaba Group Holding and IDG Capital to spur its robotics unit, despite a widening second-quarter loss.\n\nDogotix, a subsidiary of Xpeng, raised US$900 million in the latest round of financing, which valued it at US$6.3 billion, Xpeng said in a statement on Monday, adding that the fundraising marked the biggest single private-equity deal involving a Chinese robotics maker.\n\nThe fresh capital would give Xpeng a shot in the arm as it joins the fray against Tesla to build and sell humanoid robots to tap global investor enthusiasm in embodied artificial intelligence.\n\n“I believe Xpeng will not only build one of China’s most valuable humanoid robotics companies, but also become a global leader in physical AI, spearheading the large-scale adoption and commercialisation of advanced general-purpose humanoid robots and autonomous driving technologies in China and overseas,” He Xiaopeng, co-founder and CEO of the company, said in the statement.\n\nOn Monday, Xpeng said its net loss in the second quarter ending June widened 179 per cent from a year ago to 1.34 billion yuan (US$199.4 million) amid a 32.1 per cent jump in research and development costs. Revenue rose 8 per cent to 19.7 billion yuan year on year.\n\nBackers including Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post, Tencent Holdings, IDG and Gaorong Ventures agreed to invest a combined US$600 million into Dogotix, while Xpeng itself pledged US$200 million, according to Xpeng.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ev-maker-xpeng-set-to-challenge-tesla-in-embodied-ai-after-robotics-unit-raises", "canonical_source": "https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3365096/ev-maker-xpeng-set-challenge-tesla-embodied-ai-after-robotics-unit-raises-us900m?utm_source=rss_feed", "published_at": "2026-08-24 13:29:25+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-24 13:43:14.485286+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["robotics", "artificial-intelligence", "ai-startups"], "entities": ["Xpeng", "Dogotix", "Alibaba Group Holding", "Tencent Holdings", "IDG Capital", "Gaorong Ventures", "He Xiaopeng", "Tesla"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ev-maker-xpeng-set-to-challenge-tesla-in-embodied-ai-after-robotics-unit-raises", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ev-maker-xpeng-set-to-challenge-tesla-in-embodied-ai-after-robotics-unit-raises.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ev-maker-xpeng-set-to-challenge-tesla-in-embodied-ai-after-robotics-unit-raises.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ev-maker-xpeng-set-to-challenge-tesla-in-embodied-ai-after-robotics-unit-raises.jsonld"}}