XPeng staged its Physical AI event in the heart of Germany’s automotive industry, unveiling a humanoid robot, a VTOL flying vehicle, and a new AI-driven car — all under one banner: the car itself is a robot. XPeng chose Munich for its latest showcase, and the location was no accident. As the traditional capital of European car manufacturing, Munich gave the Chinese company a symbolic stage to present its vision of “physical AI” directly to the market it most wants to win over.
The event brought together several strands of XPeng’s ambitions in a single presentation: a humanoid robot named Iron, a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) flying vehicle, and a newly unveiled car marketed under the tagline “the car is the robot.” Together, they illustrate how XPeng is repositioning itself — not simply as a carmaker, but as a company building AI-powered machines across ground, air, and humanoid form factors.
From Carmaker to Physical AI Company
Founded in 2014 as a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, XPeng has sold more than a million vehicles to date. But the company has since broadened its focus considerably, describing itself now as a “physical AI” company specializing in mobility rather than a conventional automaker.
That shift is visible in the breadth of what XPeng showed in Munich: robotaxis and AI-equipped vehicles, a flying car, an SUV designed to launch a VTOL aircraft, and — in a move that has become almost standard among ambitious Chinese tech firms this year — a humanoid robot of its own.
Setting Sights on Europe
XPeng’s presence in Munich reflects a deliberate European strategy. The company already operates an R&D center in the city and a factory just across the border in Austria. To date, it has sold 61,000 cars in Europe, with its vehicles priced around €38,000.
With this event, XPeng signaled its intent to capture a larger share of the emerging market for AI-equipped vehicles — betting that combining competitive pricing with its expanding robotics and autonomous-flight technology will help it stand out in a European market increasingly crowded with electric and software-defined cars.
Watch the full video report from Rocking Robots at XPeng Live in Munich for a closer look at Iron the humanoid robot, the VTOL flying vehicle, and XPeng’s new AI car.
