XPENG’s Human Approach To Technology Part 2: Automation, AI & Expectations

May 22, 2026 - 04:58

In the first part of this series, I looked at how XPENG treats and develops its people. Now, the focus moves to how automation and artificial intelligence amplify those employees, and how that fits with current expectations and what lies ahead.

In 2025, XPENG grew its workforce from 15,364 to 19,884 people, with research and development staff making up more than 40 percent of the total. Last year, the company also delivered 429,445 vehicles, a jump of 125.9 percent. Both employee count and sales are expected to keep growing this year, driven by new models and market expansion.

Compared to many other automakers, XPENG runs a leaner operation. They employ fewer people per car sold, but a much larger share of those people work in R&D. While they do not have the deep vertical integration of some rivals, that also means they do not have to pour resources into developing every single part of a vehicle. That lets them focus on the technology that makes them different, including their in-house Turing chip, full-stack AI, and intelligent driving systems. Those systems power products like their recently launched Robotaxi.

The approach feels less like a traditional carmaker trying to become the next Toyota and more like a Silicon Valley tech company. Still, none of these achievements would have been possible without the way their employees use technology to develop and build new technology.