
Xpeng Founder He Takes Helm of Robotics Department
Xpeng founder He will personally lead the company's robotics department as it approaches mass production and commercialization. This move highlights the urgency of Xpeng's diversification strategy.

Xpeng founder He will personally lead the company's robotics department as it approaches mass production and commercialization. This move highlights the urgency of Xpeng's diversification strategy.

Der norwegische Automobilclub NAF hat die Reichweiten von 24 Elektroautos getestet. Der BMW iX3 erreichte die größte Distanz (781 km), während der Xpeng X9 die WLTP-Reichweite am stärksten übertraf (+11,4%). Der MG IM6 zeigte die größte negative Abweichung.

European auto suppliers may benefit from Chinese EV makers' expansion into the EU, driven by demand and local protectionist measures. Vulcan Energy Resources highlights opportunities for local inputs like batteries and lithium, despite EU restrictions on foreign investment.

Guangzhou-based Xpeng plans to launch pilot robotaxi operations in the second half of this year, featuring Level 4 self-driving capabilities powered by its Turing AI chips. The company aims for fully autonomous operations without safety officers by early 2027.

Chinese carmakers like Xpeng, BYD, and Chery are expanding in Europe through imports and potential local production, while European manufacturers like Volkswagen and Stellantis are selling underused factories to them, seeking to offset declining sales and avoid closures.

DÉCRYPTAGE - XPeng, Lynk&Co, Leapmotor, Omoda & Jaecoo, Denza et autres Zeekr partent à la conquête du Vieux Continent. La part de marché des constructeurs de l’empire du Milieu pourrait y atteindre 14 % en 2030.

Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng has set a goal to fully outperform Tesla's Full Self-Driving system in the Chinese market by August 2026. At the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2026), He claimed Xpeng's Vision Language Action (VLA) system already outperforms Tesla in certain complex driving scenarios, citing China's more challenging driving environment as the benchmark for overall capability.

Hesai, the world's largest lidar sensor maker for cars, plans to design and manufacture its own chips rather than rely on third-party suppliers, CEO David Li Yifan announced at a media briefing. The company says existing chip providers cannot meet the specific needs of lidar sensor development, as no other company develops chiplets specifically for lidar makers. The announcement comes as Chinese EV manufacturers increasingly demand powerful computing capabilities to support advanced autonomous driving features, with Xpeng claiming its indigenous Turing chip outperforms Nvidia's Drive Orin X by three times.

Volkswagen said it will introduce on-device AI voice agents in China-market cars starting in the second half of this year. The move is part of a broader strategy to regain share in China’s fast-growing electric vehicle market through local partnerships and R&D.

In Canada, fans and foes of Chinese electric vehicles are holding their breath for brands like BYD to hit the market. Whether they love them or not, they share the hope that Chinese carmakers will help to bring all EV prices down, as affordability becomes a growing concern for consumers. Companies including BYD, Geely, Nio and Xpeng are preparing to roll out sales locations in Canada, seizing the opportunity of warmer ties between the two countries. Ottawa struck a milestone trade deal with...

Chinese vehicle exports are surging, with new energy vehicle shipments more than doubling to 954,000 units. This international growth is offsetting weak domestic demand and improving profit margins for manufacturers.