XPeng, the Chinese company known worldwide for its electric vehicles and autonomous mobility technologies, has expanded into robotics by releasing a new video of its humanoid robot, Iron.
Although the model was publicly demonstrated earlier this month, its lifelike movements made some viewers doubt they were fully mechanical. To clarify, the company released footage with the exterior removed, revealing the internal engineering behind its smooth gestures.
In the material released by XPeng, the Iron robot is shown performing a choreographed sequence before being partially disassembled. The teardown reveals actuators, servos, and cables arranged in a system designed to mimic the human body. CEO He Xiaopeng says the robot learned choreography in hours by watching humans, a task that once took weeks.
XPeng says Iron’s fluidity comes from its “artificial spine,” enabling torso flexion, balance, and precise motion with 82 degrees of freedom and 22-joint hands.
XPeng Unveils Upgraded Iron at AI Day
The humanoid was part of the announcements at XPeng’s annual AI Day in Guangzhou. At the event, XPeng showcased an updated Iron with three Turing AI chips (3,000 TOPS) and solid-state batteries for safer, more efficient operation.
The design uses an “inside-out” concept, mimicking human muscles, skin, and systems to allow more natural and precise movements, especially in dynamic corporate settings.
The Iron presentation comes as XPeng continues to advance initiatives that integrate robotics, autonomous vehicles, and aerial mobility. At the event, XPeng unveiled VLA 2.0 AI, which interprets environments and acts on visual input using proprietary chips, advanced models, and integrated hardware for vehicles and robots.
Factory Infrastructure Paves the Way for 2026 Launch
The company also operates a factory dedicated to data processing and robot model training, part of its strategy to accelerate large-scale production. XPeng expects humanoid robots to begin appearing in commercial settings by 2026.
The company stated that Iron will first serve in customer service and operational support roles. Baosteel will be among the initial partners to test the robot in inspection and support tasks within industrial settings.
The video unveiling the robot’s interior showcases its construction and XPeng’s progress in robotics and physical intelligence.
Read the original article on: Infomoney
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