Humanoid robots and… vary extenders?

XPeng Motors celebrated its annual Tech Day occasion in China earlier in the present day, which was renamed “AI Day” for good cause. The subject of synthetic intelligence dominated the Chinese language mobility firm’s incoming applied sciences, which had been considerable. We received updates on a brand new in-house AI computing chip, a brand new Xpeng platform to assist Degree 4 autonomous robotaxis, flying automobiles, and eVTOLs, a brand new humanoid robotic referred to as “Iron,” full with an existential launch video, and a stunning adoption of combustion-powered extenders that ship as much as 970 miles of extra vary.

At present marked XPeng Motor’s sixth consecutive Tech Day occasion – one thing we sit up for every fall as it’s certain to be full of thrilling updates and debuts from a mobility firm that continues to develop and dabble in slightly little bit of every part, not simply passenger EVs.

Final yr, we noticed the debut of XPeng’s X9 MPV, a humanoid robotic referred to as the PX5, and loads of AI-centric software program upgrades. Since then, we’ve seen the X9 formally launch in China together with a rollout of OTA updates to XPeng’s working techniques, together with its XNGP ADAS.

This previous April, through the Beijing Auto Present, XPeng gave the general public a preview of among the applied sciences defined additional throughout in the present day’s Tech Day occasion. That included AI-centric chips, Degree 4 autonomous robotaxis plans, and a brand new neural community referred to as “XNet.” We additionally noticed some recent updates, together with a brand new humanoid robotic, an eVTOL, and a brand new fuel vary extender that might ship among the farthest-driving automobiles on the planet. Let’s dig in.

XPeng shares flying automotive replace throughout Tech Day 2024

There’s lots to unfold right here, however we’ll begin with a mainstay in XPeng information, flying automobiles by way of its air mobility entity, AeroHT. At present’s talks had been led by the “Land Plane Service” – an eVTOL/automobile combo that debuted final yr.

As we beforehand reported, the revolutionary land and air automobile is slotted for scaled manufacturing in 2026, and AeroHT lately broke floor on the ability in China that may construct them. There may be not a lot of an replace right here. Nonetheless, XPeng founder and chairman He Xiaopeng reiterated that the Land Air Service will showcase its first public flight demonstration later this month earlier than pre-orders open in December.

In September, AeroHT founder and president Zhao Deli mentioned the modular eVTOL/van combo can be priced at not more than RMB 2 million ($279,200).

Along with its modular Land Air Service and eventual plans for a bonafide flying BEV with propellers on its roof, Xiaopeng shared that AeroHT can also be creating a devoted full tilt-rotor eVTOL that includes six seats and hybrid energy. The aerial vessel could have a most vary of 500+ km (311 miles) and attain a prime pace of 360 km/h (224 mph).

These flying automobiles and eVTOLs shall be powered by a brand new AI “Turing” chip developed in-house by XPeng.

In-house AI chips and a brand new platform

XPeng renamed its Tech Day occasion “AI Day” this yr for a cause. Synthetic intelligence was on the forefront of most of He Xiaopeng’s conversations on stage, and the debut of the mobility firm’s new Turing chip was additionally part of the occasion.

The corporate showcased a brand new Turing AI Clever Driving System, powered by XPeng’s proprietary Turing AI chip, described as “a world-first chip designed for AI automobiles, robots, and flying automobiles.” The brand new chip includes a 40-core processor and helps fashions with as much as 30 billion parameters, delivering the facility of three high-performance chips in a single.

Xiaopeng defined that the Turin chip has already accomplished over 2,700 practical verifications in a mere 40 days and has achieved 3 times the {industry} normal for growth effectivity throughout that point.

Along with powering XPeng’s flying automobiles and humanoid robots (extra on that under), Xiaopeng used the 2024 Tech Day occasion to unveil a brand new Canghai Platform that may allow full Degree 4 autonomous driving. XPeng has already been promising totally autonomous robotaxis by 2025, and we now have a greater thought of the expertise that may assist that, once more, centered round its new Turing AI chip.

The corporate defined that the brand new platform would act because the beforehand teased neural community for XPeng’s new line of AI-centric automobiles, supporting driving (with or and not using a human within the driver’s seat) with enhanced security options, 33x bandwidth, and 12x quicker digicam picture processing, thus creating “a basis for full-scenario AI-enabled driving experiences.”

The “Hawkeye” pure imaginative and prescient ADAS system can see the world round it at 720 levels with out blind spots. Per XPeng throughout Tech Day:

XPeng’s Turing AI system marks a pivotal step towards L4 autonomy, with continuous mannequin updates from cloud-based fashions, guaranteeing a extremely responsive, ever-evolving sensible driving expertise.

Along with autonomous robotaxis, XPeng’s Turing AI chip will energy a brand new humanoid robotic referred to as “Iron” which made its official debut at Tech Day.

XPeng introduces a brand new humanoid robotic referred to as “Iron”

One of many stars of in the present day’s occasion was Iron, a critical improve to the robots XPeng has debuted at Tech Days prior to now. With in the present day’s debut, XPeng turns into the newest tech firm creating and implementing spectacular robotic expertise that might sooner or later take over full meeting of its automobiles.

Per XPeng, the Turing AI chip permits the Iron bots to suppose and keep in mind like people (spooky) and likewise permits its fingers and toes to maneuver autonomously. The robotic’s fingers additionally use a 1:1 human hand measurement, with 15 levels of freedom.

The debut included an fascinating video through which Iron steps right into a room and admires well-known sculptures like Rodin’s “The Thinker” and “Discobolus” by Myron. Iron even copies the Discobolus pose, as seen in XPeng’s video under:

XPeng’s Tech Day occasion features a new fuel vary extender

Maybe the most important shock from XPeng’s 2024 Tech Day was the information that it’s shifting its enterprise technique from all-BEV to incorporate some combustion with a brand new gas-powered vary extender.

On the stage in Guangzhou earlier in the present day, He Xiaopeng unveiled XPeng’s Kunpeng Tremendous Electrical System. Xiaopeng says this next-generation resolution “brings collectively XPeng’s developments in newest AI-defined mobility improvements to ship an unparalleled charging and vary expertise.”

The system consists of an 800V platform powered by XPeng’s battery expertise, which helps 5C quick charging and might cost from 10% to 80% in 12 minutes. New to the get together is a hybrid silicon carbide coaxial electrical drive, which, in keeping with XPeng, will supply industry-leading effectivity and reliability. The vary extender can also be further quiet, outputting noise ranges as little as 1 dB.

The automaker has additionally as soon as once more built-in AI into the facility optimization system, which permits a seamless transition between pure electrical and range-extended driving modes. As you’ll be able to see from the Tech Day picture above, XPeng’s new system gives 430 km (267 miles) of all-electric vary and a mixed vary of over 1,400 km (870 miles).

That’s lots to soak up, nevertheless it’s all for now. Test again with Electrek quickly as we await the official launch of XPeng’s subsequent BEV mannequin, the P7+. Within the meantime, you’ll be able to watch the complete 2024 Tech Day presentation on XPeng’s Weibo web page.