XPeng to mass-produce flying cars by 2026

Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng Motors plans to mass-produce flying cars by 2026, as China's low-altitude economy gains momentum with more supportive policies, said a national lawmaker at the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions on Saturday.

He Xiaopeng, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and chairman and CEO of XPeng Motors, said that if the project stays on schedule, XPeng will become the first company globally to mass-produce flying cars.

"We are integrating vehicle control with AI to develop a new flight control system into such flying cars, making it safer and more user-friendly," he added.

XPeng is also ramping up its autonomous driving efforts, with plans for Level 3 autonomous vehicles to surpass global competitors this year. By 2026 the company plans to roll out Level 4 capabilities, including fully autonomous parking.

Beyond cars, XPeng is also investing in humanoid robots. He noted that China's humanoid robotics industry is advancing towards Level 3, where robots can operate independently in many scenarios but still require human oversight in complex situations.

"By 2026, the country's humanoid robots with entry-level Level 3 capabilities are expected to enter moderate-scale commercial production," he noted.