Xpeng to launch a 'highly competitive' robotaxi in 2026. Xpeng to beat Tesla to robotaxi?

Xpeng shares are trading higher after the company's Chairman & CEO said the company will launch a 'highly competitive' Robotaxi in 2026.

Xiaopeng He, Chairman & CEO Of Xpeng, posts on Linkedin, "… Xpeng's Robotaxi will follow a set pace and launch a highly competitive Robotaxi in 2026. Moreover, we will not get involved in operations, but will work with our beloved partners to drive this revolution…"

Compared to Tesla, CEO He notes that Tesla focuses on managing everything from the vehicle to operations, unlike XPeng's approach.

Last month, the XPeng CEO tested Tesla's full self-driving software, which is slated for introduction in China later this year.

Meanwhile, XPeng reportedly plans to introduce a new model, known internally as F57, in the 4th quarter.

This model will eliminate the use of LiDAR technology. The new model will not incorporate LiDAR technology, the report read, citing a source familiar with the matter. Instead, its smart driving system will transition to a pure vision solution similar to Tesla.