{"slug": "race-against-tesla-china-ev-maker-xpeng-to-launch-viral-humanoid-globally-in", "title": "Race against Tesla: China EV maker Xpeng to launch viral humanoid globally in 2027", "summary": "Chinese EV maker Xpeng plans to launch its Iron humanoid robot globally in 2027, competing with Tesla's Optimus. CEO He Xiaopeng projects selling 1 million robots by 2030, with mass production ramping to over 1,000 units per month by end of 2026. The robot uses Xpeng's Vision-Language-Action 2.0 AI model for direct visual-to-motion conversion.", "body_md": "# Race against Tesla: China EV maker Xpeng to launch viral humanoid globally in 2027\n\nCEO He Xiaopeng projects the firm will sell 1 million robots by 2030 after ramping up mass production\n\n[Daniel Ren](/author/daniel-ren)in Shanghai\n\nChinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng expects to produce more than 1,000 humanoid robots a month by the end of 2026 as it competes with Tesla in a high-stakes race to dominate physical AI, the integration of intelligent software into robotics and machinery.\n\nThe Guangzhou-based carmaker told the South China Morning Post in a statement on Thursday that its manufacturing capacity would pave the way for the global launch of Iron, its next-generation humanoid robot, with commercial deliveries projected to begin in 2027.\n\nIn November, CEO He Xiaopeng, also Xpeng’s co-founder, said the company expected to sell 1 million robots by 2030 as he pledged to lower production costs and make robots more affordable for households.\n\nXpeng’s Iron runs on the company’s Vision-Language-Action 2.0 AI model. Unlike older systems that translate images into text-based code before executing a movement, the newer model allows the robot’s neural network to convert visual data directly into motion, improving task efficiency and reducing information loss.\n\n[Tesla’s Optimus](https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3356396/chinas-ev-giants-challenge-tesla-race-commercialise-humanoid-robots?module=inline&pgtype=article)because it has yet to be commercialised.”\n\n```\nYouTube video player\n```\n\n[halt production of its Model S and Model X cars](https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350076/shanghai-gigafactory-has-potential-construct-humanoid-robots-tesla-china-president?module=inline&pgtype=article)and convert the plant where they were made in Fremont, California, to build humanoid robots. The company has yet to sell its Optimus humanoid robot.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/race-against-tesla-china-ev-maker-xpeng-to-launch-viral-humanoid-globally-in", "canonical_source": "https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3360814/race-against-tesla-china-ev-maker-xpeng-launch-viral-humanoid-globally-2027?utm_source=rss_feed", "published_at": "2026-07-16 23:00:09+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-16 23:36:27.105527+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["robotics", "artificial-intelligence", "autonomous-vehicles", "ai-products", "ai-startups"], "entities": ["Xpeng", "Tesla", "Iron", "Optimus", "He Xiaopeng", "South China Morning Post"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/race-against-tesla-china-ev-maker-xpeng-to-launch-viral-humanoid-globally-in", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/race-against-tesla-china-ev-maker-xpeng-to-launch-viral-humanoid-globally-in.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/race-against-tesla-china-ev-maker-xpeng-to-launch-viral-humanoid-globally-in.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/race-against-tesla-china-ev-maker-xpeng-to-launch-viral-humanoid-globally-in.jsonld"}}