Engineers take drastic action to prove humanoid robot is real

By Trevor Mogg Published November 6, 2025

XPeng held a special event at its headquarters in Guangzhou, China, this week, showcasing its transformation from an electric vehicle maker to something much more ambitious involving humanoid robots, robotaxis, and flying cars — all powered by its advanced AI model and proprietary chips. 

Highlighting its new focus on integrating AI with real-world mobility and robotics, the company unveiled the latest version of its humanoid robot, called Iron. 

And that’s where things got interesting.

Iron’s ability to walk just like a human had many in the audience, as well as those watching a livestream of the event at home, wondering if it was actually a human inside. After all, many of you will recall that when Tesla chief Elon Musk unveiled the automaker’s Optimus robot in 2021, it was actually someone wearing a tight-fitting bodysuit.

And so, keen to dispel any rumors that XPeng was trying to pull a fast one in the style of Tesla, CEO He Xiaopeng brought Iron back onto the stage to show that Iron was indeed a humanoid robot and not a person in a bodysuit. 

They did this by getting an engineer to carefully cut away the fabric and padding materials surrounding Iron’s left leg, eventually revealing a robotic leg.

Once again, with its metal innards exposed, Iron walked across the stage in a very human-like way. It’s an extraordinary sight, and anyone with a nervous disposition may shudder at the spectacle of the bipedal bot strolling along in such a realistic way.

XPeng is competing with a slew of other makers of humanoid robots, which could eventually be deployed in the workplace and even in home settings.

According to XPeng, Iron could one day find itself helping visitors in museums, car showrooms, shopping centers, and of course XPeng’s own retail stores. Placement in factories for inspection roles is also on the cards. 

The company says it’s targeting mass production of Iron by the end of next year.