Elon Musk wasn't the only electric car CEO showing off humanoid robots and flying cars last week. At XPeng Inc (NYSE:XPEV) AI Day last week, CEO He Xiaopeng unveiled Iron, a humanoid robot prototype that instantly drew comparisons to Tesla Inc's (NASDAQ:TSLA) Optimus.
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Tesla's Elon Musk Has Competition — And It's Coming From China
XPeng’s soft-skinned, eerily lifelike robot walked across the stage so naturally that many on Chinese social media mistook it for a human in costume, reported The Information.
Xpeng plans to begin mass production of Iron by the end of next year, potentially beating Tesla's Optimus timeline by a full year — and putting China's fast-rising EV maker squarely in the AI hardware race Musk once dominated alone.
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Optimus Vs. Iron
Like Tesla, XPeng is pitching itself as an AI-first mobility company, building humanoids, robotaxis, and even flying cars powered by its in-house Turing AI chip. But while Musk described Optimus as a future "incredible surgeon" that could "end poverty and crime," Xiaopeng struck a cooler tone — saying robots won't be tightening screws in factories anytime soon.
For now, Iron will serve as a museum guide, a receptionist, and a sales assistant, not a worker replacement.
Roadster Vs. Land Aircraft Carrier
The contrast is striking: Tesla is rolling out Cybercab robotaxis in the U.S. next year, while Xpeng plans to test three autonomous models in Chinese cities. Musk teases a flying Roadster; Xiaopeng is already prepping the Land Aircraft Carrier, a hybrid road-and-air van set for mass production in 2026.
XPeng’s Tesla-Size Dreams, Startup-Style Funding
Xpeng's sales are set to double to 400,000 vehicles this year, a fraction of Tesla's eight million, but its ambition runs just as high. Unlike Tesla, Xpeng continues to raise capital from outside investors to fuel its AI and aerial divisions. The company is also building 200 "sky camps" where consumers can safely pilot its compact electric aircraft — a more pragmatic take on Musk's lofty vision.
Musk may own the narrative, but Xiaopeng is quietly building the sequel — a leaner, more measured version of Tesla's AI empire, with its feet (and soon, maybe wings) firmly in China.
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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.
