“We’re the ‘king of the alleyways.’ Our next throne will be in humanoid robots and flying cars,” said He Xiaopeng, chairman of XPeng Motors.
At the 2026 Beijing International Motor Show (Auto China 2026) on April 24 at the Capital International Exhibition Center in Beijing’s Shunyi district, XPeng — often dubbed China’s Tesla — drew a crush of reporters to its booth for the world debut of its new GX sport utility vehicle. About 200 journalists packed in to see the model.
XPeng said the GX uses four in-house AI chips and a second-generation VLA (Vision-Language-Action) system to deliver Level 4 autonomous driving that can recognize and judge situations on its own. “Autonomous driving is no longer just for early adopters,” He said, adding that the company is targeting everyday use “from apartment underground parking lots to crowded shopping centers.”
When He played video of the second-generation VLA system, the crowd reacted audibly as the car navigated a chaotic night market and narrow alleys clogged with illegally parked vehicles. The footage also showed the system reading building signs and “entrance/exit” markings. In one scene, a kitten lay in the road grooming itself; the vehicle hesitated, then edged slightly over the lane line to avoid it.
He said advanced autonomous driving is evolving from a feature people try into a must-have that drives purchases. He said XPeng aims to create new demand and “break through” weak domestic consumption by promoting self-driving technology focused on safety for mothers in their 60s and older. He added that a second version of the second-generation VLA, which he described as moving beyond memory-based driving to voice recognition and learning across all routes, will be unveiled in May and would mark the start of “truly mainstream” autonomous driving.
Running through May 3, Auto China 2026 has become a showcase for Chinese automakers pitching AI-equipped new models as a way to counter a sharp domestic slowdown. Held under the theme “Future of Intelligence,” the show drew global brands including Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group, alongside more than 100 local companies such as BYD Group, Geely Auto Group, Chery Automobile Group, Xiaomi, XPeng and Nio.
A representative from Li Auto said China’s new-energy vehicle strategy is shifting from rapid expansion to higher-quality growth, intensifying competition among local companies. With AI integrated into vehicles, the representative said, autonomous driving and infotainment are improving along with charging and operating systems, making 1,500 kilometers of driving range “the standard,” with a “2,500-kilometer era” coming next.
Geely Auto Group, which is preparing to enter the South Korean market in the first half of this year, set up one of the show’s largest booths. Under the concept of “embodied intelligence,” it presented new-energy strategy models from Zeekr, Lynk & Co and Galaxy, along with a bipedal robot called “Eva,” smart city initiatives and a methanol ecosystem strategy.
One of the biggest draws was the “EVA Cab,” described as China’s first robotaxi-only prototype. Geely said the vehicle applies a “quantum-level” AI architecture and is a Level 4 robotaxi that has completed preparations for mass production. It is set for full launch starting in 2027 after a year of pilot operations in cities including Hangzhou and Suzhou.
Zeekr and Lynk & Co also highlighted AI-driven gains in range, charging time, fuel efficiency and driver safety. Zeekr strengthened its luxury lineup with the new 009, 8X and 9X. The company said the 8X uses a 900-volt high-voltage system and a three-motor electric drivetrain to reach a peak output of 1,030 kW and a 0-100 kph time in the 2.96-second range, calling it the “world’s fastest hybrid SUV.”
Lynk & Co’s electric sport sedans 10+ and 10, set for release in May, use a 900-volt system and a 95 kWh “golden battery.” The company said the setup enables ultra-fast charging that adds 2 kilometers of driving per second. A Geely Auto Group official said the AI ecosystem technologies unveiled at the show would help the company evolve from an automaker into a global intelligent mobility company.
![[Photo by reporter Han Ji-yeon]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/04/26/20260426110146218371.jpg)
BYD, along with its sub-brands Denza, Yangwang and Formula Bao, also used the show to underscore its ambition to lead China’s new-energy strategy. BYD drew attention with a display that placed the Denza “Z9 GT” and Formula Bao’s “Tai 3” inside an icebox so visitors could gauge charging time in extreme cold. The icebox was lowered to minus 35 degrees Celsius, leaving frost on the vehicles, but BYD said its second-generation Blade battery still charged from 10% to 70% in under five minutes — the same benchmark it promoted for its Flash Charger system.
Against the backdrop of China’s push in new-energy vehicles, Hyundai sought to make its case with the electric “Ioniq V.” Hyundai said the Ioniq V is the production model of its previously unveiled “Venus” concept car and the first China-focused strategic model under the Ioniq brand. Hyundai plans to add an SUV model around the first half of next year and introduce 20 new models by 2030. Jang Jae-hoon, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, told reporters at Hyundai’s booth on April 24, “We will learn and grow a lot in China,” adding, “It is the most difficult market, but we will rise again in China and create success.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.