While electric vehicles (EVs) are the primary focus of Chinese company XPeng, its robotics affiliate, XPeng Robotics, is taking a bold step into uncharted territory. This ambitious startup is betting big on developing ridable robot unicorns for kids, an innovative venture that has just secured $100 million in funding.
A Unicorn in Robotics
XPeng Robotics, founded in 2016, claims to be an "ecosystem company" of XPeng, the same electric vehicle maker that’s challenging Tesla’s dominance in China. With a shared brand association, it’s likely that the two companies will collaborate closely on research and development.
The robotics affiliate has already developed its first product: a quadruped robot that can navigate autonomously and interact with humans. This pony-like robot is as tall as a kid and has been featured in an animated 3D teaser video, where it nods and blinks to a child who then rides it around. Another real-life video shows the robot transporting snacks around an office in response to voice commands.
While companion robots are not new, few are of this size and complexity. The R&D costs involved in developing such a product must have been substantial, which is why XPeng Robotics still hasn’t set a delivery date for its robots. However, it’s reported that the company expects "intelligent robots to enter households in the next two years."
Funding Will Fuel Innovation
The $100 million Series A round led by IDG Capital will allow XPeng Robotics to deepen its R&D investment in robotic hardware and software, hire top-tier talent, and accelerate product development and iteration. This significant funding will undoubtedly help the startup achieve its ambitious goals.
With more than 300 employees, 80% of whom work in R&D, XPeng Robotics is already a substantial player in the robotics industry. Its headquarters are located in Shenzhen, the global hardware hub, with R&D centers in Guangzhou, Beijing, and Silicon Valley.
Expansion Beyond China
XPeng’s foray into robotics is not an isolated incident. The company is expanding its reach beyond China, focusing on electric vehicles and now robotics. This expansion is part of a broader trend in the Chinese tech industry, where companies are exploring new markets and applications for their technologies.
In an interview with TechCrunch, XPeng’s chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng emphasized the potential for smart car manufacturers to also become smart robot makers: "I also believe that in the future, manufacturers of smart cars will also be manufacturers of smart robots… As part of our mission as a technology innovator and explorer, we will continue to provide support to XPeng Robotics."
The Future of Robotics
XPeng Robotics’s success will depend on its ability to balance innovation with market demand. While the company has already developed an impressive product, it still needs to prove that its robots can be commercially viable.
The future of robotics is exciting and rapidly evolving. With companies like XPeng pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, we can expect to see significant advancements in this field. Will XPeng Robotics’s ridable robot unicorns for kids become a reality? Only time will tell.
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