XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng will lead robotics division as humanoid robot program heads toward mass production

XPeng is reshuffling leadership of its humanoid-robot program, with CEO He Xiaopeng stepping in to run the company’s robotics division directly as the firm moves toward mass production of its IRON robots. The move takes effect immediately, according to an internal communication reviewed by Reuters and carried in market coverage.

The company’s humanoid robot program centers on IRON, introduced last year. Reports describe IRON as a human-like machine designed for flexible movement, with a curved display built into its head, and a package that includes flexible “skin.” XPeng has said the robot is powered by the company’s proprietary artificial intelligence technology and Turing chips, tying the robotics effort to its broader compute and AI stack.

XPeng’s timing is also framed in the internal messaging. He Xiaopeng told staff that the company is on the eve of mass production and commercialization of its humanoid robots. He also emphasized that the robotics industry is becoming increasingly competitive and that execution requires fast, high-stakes decision-making, according to the letter described by the report.

Leadership change follows the departure of Shi Xiaoxin, a senior director involved in robotics product planning. The report states Shi resigned recently, and XPeng confirmed his departure, while providing no further specifics about the circumstances or what changes it may bring to the robot roadmap.

On product rollout, the report says XPeng expects to begin trials of the humanoid bots in the company’s retail stores before commercial availability in China in 2027. That implies a stepped approach: validation in a controlled consumer-facing environment before a wider commercial launch.

Market coverage also links the robotics update to recent trading pressure on XPeng shares. XPEV, XPeng’s ADR, was described as sliding for a sixth straight session, with more than 13% decline through the previous day’s close at the time of the report. In the same coverage, the stock was trading about 1% lower when the announcement was reported.

For the broader sector, the change underscores how quickly automakers and EV startups are pushing beyond cars into robotics and automation, often using their AI and semiconductor capabilities as differentiators. Humanoid robots remain an expensive, execution-heavy bet, and leadership consolidation is often used to accelerate coordination across hardware, software, and manufacturing readiness.

Still, some key details remain unclear. The company did not outline specific milestones, budget changes, or the expected production volumes tied to its end-of-2026 mass-production goal in the cited market report. It also did not provide public clarity on whether Shi Xiaoxin’s role is being replaced or how internal responsibilities will be reallocated within the robotics organization beyond the CEO taking direct charge. Investors will likely look for follow-up disclosures around manufacturing plans, commercialization timing, and any updated product targets for IRON.