Xpeng to Launch Viral Iron Humanoid Robot Globally by 2027
Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has officially announced plans to launch its viral humanoid robot, Iron, in global markets by 2027, positioning itself in a direct race against Tesla’s Optimus robot. The Guangzhou-based company confirmed at its brand day on July 16 that commercial deliveries of the humanoid robot will begin next year, with mass production ramping up to over 1,000 units per month by the end of 2026, according to the South China Morning Post.
The Robot That Fooled the World
Iron first captured global attention at Xpeng’s 2025 AI Day, where its lifelike catwalk gait was so convincing that social media erupted with speculation that a human was hidden inside the robot. CEO He Xiaopeng was forced to publicly demonstrate the robot’s internal structure — showing its harmonic-drive hands and embedded microphones — to prove it was fully robotic. The viral moment, which prompted even Elon Musk to comment, transformed Iron from a corporate prototype into a global phenomenon overnight.
Specifications and Technical Innovation
Standing 178 centimeters tall and weighing 70 kilograms, Iron is powered by three proprietary Turing AI chips delivering a combined 2,250 TOPS of computing power, as detailed by CnEVPost. The robot runs on Xpeng’s Vision-Language-Action (VLA) 2.0 AI model, a significant technical advancement that allows the neural network to convert visual data directly into motion, bypassing the traditional step of translating images into text-based code before executing movement. This reduces latency and information loss, enabling smoother, more natural motion.
Iron boasts 200 degrees of freedom, including 22 degrees of freedom per hand, allowing it to perform fine-motor tasks such as needle threading, folding clothes, and loading dishwashers. An all-solid-state battery powers the unit, and its 720-degree vision system enables comprehensive environmental awareness.
The Race Against Tesla
The competitive stakes are high. Tesla halted production of its Model S and Model X in January 2026, converting its Fremont, California plant to manufacture the Optimus humanoid robot. Neither company has yet commercialized a humanoid robot at scale, but both are racing toward the same goal.
Elon Musk acknowledged the competition in November 2025, stating: “Tesla and China companies will dominate the market,” adding that “Other companies in the West are weak,” as reported by CnEVPost. Musk also expressed respect for Chinese competition, noting the country’s abundance of “smart, hardworking people.”
From Showrooms to Homes
Xpeng’s deployment strategy is phased and pragmatic. Iron will first serve as sales assistants in Xpeng’s showrooms across China in the first quarter of 2027, providing a controlled environment for real-world testing and refinement. Overseas stores will follow in the second quarter of 2027, with the robot expected to enter ordinary households starting in 2028.
To support this ambitious timeline, Xpeng began construction in the first quarter of 2026 on a dedicated humanoid robot production base in Guangzhou’s Guangtang Kechuang City, covering approximately 110,000 square meters. The facility spans research and development validation, small-batch trial production, and scaled manufacturing.
CEO He Xiaopeng has projected that the company will sell 1 million robots by 2030 as production costs decline. In June 2026, he took personal command of Xpeng’s robotics business, creating nine new departments to accelerate commercialization. Xpeng’s research and development spending in physical AI-related areas is expected to reach RMB 7 billion ($1.03 billion) in 2026.
A Transforming Industry
Xpeng’s push into humanoid robotics is part of a broader strategic transformation from a smart-car company into a “physical AI company,” repurposing autonomous driving and AI technologies developed for electric vehicles. This mirrors Tesla’s own transformation announced in January 2026.
Eric Han, a senior manager at Shanghai consultancy Suolei, told the South China Morning Post: “Xpeng is rebuilding its image as a global contender in physical AI, rather than an imitator of Tesla. As it starts mass production at the end of this year, Xpeng is likely to take on Tesla’s Optimus because it has yet to be commercialised.”
Morgan Stanley analysts expect shipments of humanoid robots in China to reach 50,000 units in 2026 and 100,000 units in 2027, signaling an accelerated commercialization phase for the industry. Other Chinese EV makers, including Li Auto, have also established robotics units, intensifying the competitive landscape.
What to Watch For
Several key questions remain unanswered. Final pricing for Iron in different markets has not been disclosed — initial estimates suggest around $150,000 per unit, a figure that would need to fall dramatically for household adoption. Safety and liability frameworks for home deployment are still being developed, and the specific overseas markets targeted for initial entry have yet to be announced.
What is clear is that the humanoid robot race is no longer a distant prospect. With both Xpeng and Tesla targeting commercial deployment within the next 12 to 18 months, 2027 is shaping up to be the year humanoid robots move from factory floors and viral videos into the real world.