Xpeng is targeting 2027 for full-scale delivery of its flying cars

The Chinese EV maker has already received more than 7,000 orders for the vehicle and expects to begin early deliveries later this year

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Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng expects to begin full-scale production of its flying cars in 2027, with early deliveries starting before the end of this year, company president Brian Gu told Reuters.

Orders for the flying car have topped 7,000, Gu said, with most coming from Chinese buyers; the company is currently seeking regulatory clearance from the country's aviation authorities. The automaker is also targeting the fourth quarter of 2026 for the start of large-scale production of its humanoid robots.

At the Beijing Auto Show this week, Xpeng displayed its flying car, called the "Land Aircraft Carrier," alongside new vehicle models and its humanoid robot, IRON. Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng described the product lineup as part of the company's broader "Physical AI" strategy spanning smart electric vehicles, flying cars, AI chips, robotics, and robotaxi services.

Xpeng plans to begin robotaxi tests in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou this year, with 2027 set as a "critical year" for tests with partners worldwide, Gu told Reuters. The company expects to produce hundreds to thousands of robotaxis over the next 12 to 18 months.

Early deployments of the humanoid robots will focus on customer-facing environments such as reception desks and showrooms, according to Gu. Looking further ahead, he projected that demand for humanoid robots will eventually grow large enough that the division will eventually overtake Xpeng's core auto business within two decades.

Xpeng reported that its overseas deliveries in 2025 were over 45,000 units, which is a 96% increase from the previous year. This made it the top Chinese electric vehicle startup for overseas pure-electric sales. Gu said that overseas markets made up about 10% of total sales and 15% of revenue in 2024. He expects international business to grow a lot, possibly making up most of the company’s revenue in the next ten years.

The Volkswagen relationship was another topic Gu highlighted, pointing to the German automaker's recent launch of mass production on a jointly developed EV as a foundation for deeper collaboration. "There are a lot of areas that we can partner and really provide value to each other," he told Reuters, and he indicated that Xpeng is actively exploring similar tie-ups with manufacturers in other parts of the world.

Xpeng is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker XPEV and on the Hong Kong Exchange under the ticker 9868.

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