BEIJING, April 23 (Reuters) - Chinese electric car maker Xpeng expects full-scale delivery of 'flying' cars in terms of volume production next year, its president Brian Gu said in an interview on
China's Xpeng expects to start full-scale delivery of 'flying' cars in 2027
Xpeng's Innovations and Global Expansion Plans
(Updates headline in story from April 23 to reflect that large-scale delivery starts next year, adds in details of late 2026 deliveries in paragraph 6)
By Qiaoyi Li and Nick Carey
Production Timeline for Flying Cars and Humanoid Robots
BEIJING, April 23 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng expects to start large-scale production of its "flying" cars next year and of its humanoid robots in the fourth quarter of 2026, President Brian Gu told Reuters on Thursday.
Partnerships and Cooperation with Volkswagen
Gu also said there is "tremendous potential" to increase cooperation with German automaker Volkswagen, which last month began mass production of its first EV model, developed jointly with Xpeng.
"There are a lot of areas that we can partner and really provide value to each other," Gu said, adding that Xpeng was also open to partnerships with other automakers.
"We need to be nimble and willing to partner with different players in different regions."
Market Demand and Delivery Plans
Xpeng has received more than 7,000 orders for its flying cars, the majority of which are in China, where the company is working on obtaining approval from the country's aviation authorities.
The automaker expects to start making early deliveries of the flying cars late this year, according to Gu.
Robotaxi and Global Testing Initiatives
Speaking to Reuters ahead of the Beijing Auto Show, Gu said the company would start robotaxi tests in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou this year and that 2027 will be a "critical year" for "tests around the world with partners."
He said the company will likely produce hundreds to thousands of robotaxis over the next 12 to 18 months.
Humanoid Robots: Use Cases and Future Prospects
Gu said its humanoid robots will initially be used as receptionists or in sales to interact with customers. He said that within the next 10 to 20 years, Xpeng's robot business should be larger than its automotive division as "there will be more use cases for humanoid robots in our lives."
Overseas Expansion and Revenue Goals
Like many other Chinese automakers, Xpeng has expanded overseas and currently operates in about 60 countries outside China.
Gu said that last year, Xpeng generated about 10% of its sales volume and around 15% of its revenue from overseas sales.
He added that in the next five to 10 years, "more than 50% of the revenue should come from outside of China."
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Nick Carey and Qiaoyi Li; Writing by Liz Lee; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Thomas Derpinghaus and Tom Hogue)
