XPeng Yoyo granted L4 robotaxi demonstration approval across Guangzhou

Guangzhou approval for city-wide L4 demonstrations

XPeng announced on October 26, 2026 that it has been approved for Guangzhou's intelligent connected vehicle demonstration application operation qualification, enabling L4 robotaxi demonstration operation across the entire city. The company describes the approval as a critical step from technology validation to operations and commercial-model validation, and as a milestone in the commercialisation of its Physical AI business. ¹²

Candice Yuan, head of XPeng's robotaxi business, said on Weibo that the qualification allows L4 robotaxi trials citywide, according to CnEVPost. She said the approval moves the business beyond technology validation towards testing real-world operations and commercial viability, refining product experience and service systems through daily operations to eventually offer mature, replicable robotaxi solutions to partners worldwide. ⁴

The qualification applies to demonstration operations in Guangzhou only. It does not establish unrestricted commercial robotaxi service, and XPeng has not announced approval in other markets. Gasgoo notes the approval allows the company to move its autonomous ride-hailing program into public-service trials. ⁵

Access by invitation codes in the initial phase

During the initial phase, XPeng will continue to gradually open access via invitation codes, steadily expanding the service footprint while prioritising safety, according to the company's announcement. The company says it will use real-world demand to refine operational workflows and accumulate experience in fleet management and efficiency. ¹²

Yuan said the approval does not mean the service will immediately be available to all users, with the team continuing to open access gradually through invitation codes during the initial phase, CnEVPost reported. XPeng has named Guangzhou, where it is headquartered and conducts research, development and mass production, as the first city for its robotaxi commercialisation. ⁴⁶

Validating the service, not just the driving

XPeng says demonstration operations extend beyond autonomous driving validation, marking the product's entry into the real-world mobility service system. Beyond stable driving, the company is validating the coordination of order response, vehicle dispatch, passenger pickup and exception handling, which it describes as equally critical to service sustainability. ²

Gasgoo reports that during demonstration operations XPeng plans to collect data on vehicle utilisation, dispatch efficiency, service costs and fleet management, and to adjust passenger processes, pickup and drop-off locations, dispatch and cross-district service coordination according to travel needs and traffic conditions. The company will use the results to refine its vehicles, operating processes and business model. ⁵

Inside China Auto characterises the approval under Guangzhou's intelligent connected vehicle demonstration program as the first step from road testing towards a commercial service, covering order handling, dispatch, passenger pickup and dealing with problems on the road as well as the driving itself. ³

Yoyo vehicle and technology stack

The robotaxi, sold under the XPeng Yoyo brand announced in October, is built on the company's flagship GX SUV and engineered to L4 autonomous driving standards, using a vision-only approach that does not rely on LiDAR or high-definition maps, according to CnEVPost. It carries four in-house Turing AI chips with effective computing power of 3,000 TOPS, with driving decisions powered by the second-generation Vision-Language-Action (VLA 2.0) large model. ⁴²

XPeng describes the GX-based Yoyo as China's first mass-produced robotaxi developed through a fully in-house technology stack, according to Gasgoo. The company says it reuses the same models and software stack as its production cars rather than building a heavily customised system for each deployment, which it says enhances adaptability across diverse road environments. ⁵²

The Yoyo program's development milestones this year, as catalogued by CnEVPost, include a Guangzhou road-testing permit in January, a dedicated robotaxi division in March, the first production vehicle rolling off the assembly line in May, a first internal test ride in July, and more than 2,000 internal test rides in Guangzhou as stated by chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng on an August 24 earnings call. ⁴

Partnership model and overseas discussions

He Xiaopeng has previously said XPeng's robotaxi business will position itself as a technology provider and ecosystem enabler rather than directly operating large-scale fleets. The company plans to deliver integrated solutions to global partners via its vehicle platforms, software and AI capabilities, generating revenue through hardware sales, technology services and commission sharing, according to its announcement. ¹²

XPeng says it is in advanced discussions with several leading European mobility platforms, with the operational experience gained in Guangzhou intended to serve as a foundation for localised global deployment. Gasgoo reports that He said during the Paris Motor Show that the company was in discussions with several European mobility platforms about potential robotaxi cooperation. ²⁵

On the August earnings call, He said XPeng had completed development of a cloud-based remote takeover platform and aimed to operate passenger services without safety drivers in 2027, with plans to work with domestic and international ride-hailing platforms in 2027 to expand into key cities in China and overseas, CnEVPost reported. Those remain the company's stated targets; the Guangzhou demonstration approval does not itself confirm a driverless launch date. ⁴