XPeng Cuts Open Humanoid Robot Live to Disprove Impersonation Claims
XPeng staged an unusual demonstration to address skepticism surrounding its humanoid robot, with staff cutting open the machine's exterior during a livestreamed event to reveal its internal mechanical structure.
The company's IRON humanoid robot drew widespread attention after debuting at XPeng's seventh annual Tech Day, where it walked onstage with a notably human-like gait. However, its lifelike appearance sparked online speculation that a person might be concealed inside the robotic shell.
During a product launch event on Tuesday evening, XPeng founder He Xiaopeng invited the robot back onstage while technicians sliced through its outer covering and artificial muscle layers. The live broadcast showed viewers the robot's metal skeletal frame, hydraulic tubing, and other mechanical components.
"We cannot dispel all doubts, but the only thing we can do is keep moving forward," He said during the presentation.
The IRON robot features biomimetic design elements including an artificial spine, synthetic muscles, flexible skin covering, a 3D curved display for a head, and bionic shoulders. Its dexterous hands contain 22 degrees of freedom, enabling complex movements and interactions.
According to technical specifications, IRON operates on three Turing AI chips delivering 2,250 TOPS of computing power to support advanced functions such as conversation, walking, and environmental interaction. The robot is among the first to incorporate solid-state battery technology, which XPeng says achieves significant weight reduction and enhanced safety performance.
The humanoid is powered by XPeng's proprietary physical world model system, integrating three core capabilities: visual language understanding, visual motion analysis, and visual logical reasoning. This architecture enables real-time environmental perception, comprehension, and responsive action.
The public demonstration reflects growing scrutiny of robotics claims in China's competitive technology sector, where companies face pressure to validate innovations amid rapid development cycles. XPeng's transparent approach marks an effort to establish credibility as it expands beyond its core electric vehicle business into artificial intelligence and robotics.