- Mr. He Xiaopeng, Chairman & CEO, becomes the first Chinese automotive CEO to deliver a keynote in the history of the Paris Automotive Summit, calling for greater industry collaboration as AI, electrification and globalization reshapes the automotive sector.
- Mr. He Xiaopeng introduced XPENG AI Engineering, calling for open collaboration and opening XPENG’s full-stack technologies and engineering capabilities to global partners, from vehicle platforms to Physical AI.
- XPENG highlighted NGP which is aiming for global market expansion in 2027, alongside clear milestones for its humanoid robot, IRON, targeting mass production in late 2026, initial deliveries in H1 2027, and a European rollout in H2 2027.
PARIS, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mr. He Xiaopeng, Chairman & CEO of XPeng Inc. (“XPENG” or the “Company,” NYSE: XPEV; HKEX: 9868), a leading global Physical AI company, today called for deeper collaboration across the global automotive industry, as he became the first Chinese automotive CEO to deliver a keynote in the history of the Paris Automotive Summit.
Speaking to automotive industry leaders in Paris, Mr. He outlined how AI, electrification and smart technologies are reshaping the automotive industry, creating new opportunities for technology collaboration across the sector.
The theme of his keynote speech was “Navigating the AI Era: Open Collaboration for a Smarter Future,” where he outlined XPENG AI Engineering, XPENG’s strategy to combine its Physical AI technology with deeper ecosystem partnerships across Europe and globally.
He emphasized that no single manufacturer holds all the advantages required for the next generation of smart mobility. To accelerate this transition, XPENG is opening its in-house tech stack and engineering resources to key international partners.
Open Technology Collaboration for the AI Era: XPENG AI Engineering
XPENG’s approach to collaboration is rooted in its evolution as a Physical AI company, with full-stack technologies spanning chips, models and applications across intelligent vehicles, robotaxis, humanoid robots and flying cars. In intelligent driving, XPENG highlighted NGP powered by VLA 2.0, designed to advance directly from L2 to L4 and deliver the same core capability across China and Europe, as the company prepares to bring advanced intelligent driving to global markets in 2027.
XPENG is also advancing the commercialization of its humanoid robot, IRON, with mass production targeted for late 2026, deliveries beginning in the first half of 2027, and a European rollout planned for the second half of 2027.
As AI expands into the physical world, XPENG believes industry transformation will be driven both from within and beyond automotive. To usher in this new era, XPENG is opening its proprietary technologies and engineering toolchains to global partners – spanning vehicle platforms, E/E architecture, batteries, e-drives, and modular innovations like the AI BOX, Turing AI chip, and Turing physical world foundation model.
Through XPENG AI Engineering, the company is pursuing a model built around complementary strengths, flexible collaboration and independent innovation, enabling partners to co-develop differentiated products while building their own technology capabilities over time.
As a proven example of this mutually beneficial approach, Mr. He highlighted XPENG’s strategic collaboration with Volkswagen Group, which brings together XPENG’s intelligent-driving and software capabilities with Volkswagen’s vehicle engineering and testing expertise.
This latest development builds on XPENG’s continued investment in technology and talent. In the first half of 2026, XPENG invested approximately €770 million in R&D.
“Partnership starts with trust, and after trust comes openness,” said Mr. He. “We welcome global partners to work with us, learn from each other and bring our strengths together. To bring technology to life and build the future together.”
In Europe, For Europe, With Europe
Mr. He also reinforced XPENG’s long-term “In Europe, For Europe, With Europe” commitment, centered on producing in Europe, designing for European users and partnering with the region’s industrial ecosystem.
XPENG has put four models into production in Europe within one year, including the G6, G9, P7+ and the latest G9L. Its European R&D center serves as a hub for EU homologation and certification, language and interaction localization, intelligent-driving validation, European chassis and handling tuning, and charging-network integration.
XPENG continues to deepen collaboration across Europe’s automotive and technology ecosystem, working with local partners as it expands its capabilities in the region.
ENDS
About XPENG
XPENG is a leading global Physical AI company, dedicated to bringing artificial intelligence into the physical world to reshape future mobility and smart living. Through in-house R&D, XPENG has developed a full-stack Physical AI architecture spanning Turing AI chips, world foundation models, and highly integrated software and hardware applications. This unified technology foundation powers an expansive product portfolio of smart EVs, robotaxis and humanoid robots, advancing the deployment of Physical AI at scale.
Headquartered in Guangzhou, China, XPENG is dual-primary listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. With global capabilities across R&D, manufacturing, sales and services, XPENG drives continuous technological innovation and fosters an open Physical AI ecosystem, making life smarter, safer and better for users worldwide.
For more information, please visit https://www.xpeng.com/.
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