XPeng Says Autonomous Driving to Legally Enter EU and Global Markets by End of 2026

Xpeng Motors founder He Xiaopeng stated that the DCAS UN Regulation No. 171, Series 02—approved by the United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29)—will take effect in six months and become mandatory in the European Union by the end of 2026. Once implemented, autonomous driving systems will be legally permitted in the EU and other global markets adopting this regulation. He also noted that Xpeng’s second-generation VLA (Vision-Language Assistant) technology has entered a definitive phase for global deployment, with plans to launch overseas models equipped with both VLA and VLM (Vision-Language Model) capabilities in 2027, supporting mixed-language vehicle interaction in Chinese and local languages. Previously, Xpeng Motors actively participated in WP.29’s Automated Driving Systems (ADS) working group meetings, playing a key role in advancing the formulation and implementation of the world’s first regulatory framework for autonomous driving technologies. According to Xpeng’s Q1 2026 financial report, the company delivered a total of 62,682 vehicles during the quarter, generating RMB 13.03 billion in total revenue. This included RMB 11.0 billion from vehicle sales and RMB 2.03 billion from services and other sources, representing a 41.2% year-over-year increase. The overall gross margin stood at 20.6%, up 5 percentage points compared to the same period in 2025. As of the end of Q1, the company held RMB 42.09 billion in cash and cash equivalents. In the earnings release, He Xiaopeng disclosed that starting with the launch of the GX model, four new vehicle models will enter their delivery cycles throughout 2026. He further confirmed that both Robotaxi and humanoid robots will achieve mass production within 2026, accelerating the commercialization of physical AI technologies. Dr. William Li, Vice Chairman of Xpeng Group, emphasized that the company maintained a gross margin above 20% in Q1, primarily driven by cost efficiencies from in-house developed technologies and growing overseas revenue. He added that large-scale commercialization of physical AI applications has been designated as a strategic priority for the company.