Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Xpeng is collaborating with Alibaba's Amap as it prepares to launch three robotaxi models in 2026.

The robotaxis will initially be rolled out in China, with trials being held in Guangzhou and other selected cities.

Amap is China's leading digital mapping and navigation platform, which also serves as a “lifestyle super app” for its users. The platform provides navigation, real-time traffic information and access to various local services such as ride-hailing, food delivery and travel bookings.

Xpeng’s chairman and chief executive, He Xiaopeng, announced the plan on Wednesday during the company’s 2025 AI Day event in Guangzhou.

“In 2026, we are going to launch three robotaxi models, I believe that these will be models that will be fully self-developed, with full-stack in house development, and these three robotaxi models will enable more people to access the robotaxis and enjoy the service,” he said.

Guo Ning, chief executive of Amap, appeared in a video during the event to confirm the partnership.

“Xpeng’s robotaxi service will be integrated into Amap’s aggregated ride-hailing platform, proving users with cooler, more efficient, and seamless travel experience,” he said. “This collaboration is not an upgrade, but also a critical step in our shared understanding and exploration of AGI – the ultimate goal of AI is not just a conversational tool on a screen, but a proactive partner capable of reasoning, perception and decision-making.”

Xpeng will also work with Amap to build a global robotaxi service network, the EV maker said in a statement on its Weibo account,

In a statement on Weibo, Xpeng also said the partnership will create a global network of robotaxi services, Reuters reported.

According to the news agency, the company has not yet announced a timetable for future developments of the network.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Brian Hongdi Gu, co-president and vice chairman at the Guangzhou-based company, said the service may expand to international markets after its initial launch in China.

The Amap platform already supports several local robotaxi companies, including WeRide and Pony.ai.

Xiaopeng stated that the new robotaxis will be equipped with four Turing AI chips developed in-house by Xpeng, capable of providing up to 3,000 TOPS of computing power.

The new robotaxi models will incorporate Xpeng's second-generation VLA (Vision-Language-Action) model, which aims to provide adaptive operation in all global traffic patterns.

The vehicles require no modifications and do not rely on high-definition maps, enabling low-cost mass production, added the Xpeng chief executive.

Additionally, the models will be equipped with external interaction features, allowing pedestrians to see the vehicle's actions, such as when turning right or left, through the windscreen.

The company also plans to open its Software Development Kit for robotaxis in order to collaborate with global partners in creating a robotaxi ecosystem.

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