Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng said on Monday it will open its first European research and development (R&D) center in Munich, Germany, as the company looks to deepen its foothold in one of its key overseas markets.
The Munich site will be the company’s ninth global R&D hub and will work alongside facilities in Silicon Valley, San Diego, and several Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. The automaker said the center, built on the principle “In Europe, With Europe,” is designed to capture local user needs, accelerate innovation, and advance localization efforts.
“The Munich center enables us to directly listen to European users and translate their needs into innovations,” said Brian Gu, vice chairman and co-president of Xpeng, during a press briefing at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich.
The announcement underscores Xpeng’s ambitions for international expansion. The company showcased five models at the auto show — including the next-generation P7 sedan, the 2025 G6 and G9 SUVs, the X9 MPV, and the P7+ — alongside technology demonstrations such as its humanoid robot, flying car prototype, and Smart Electric Platform Architecture (SEPA).
Xpeng also reiterated its goal of launching mass-produced vehicles equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving by 2026 and beginning robotaxi pilot operations in China. Its Turing AI smart driving system is undergoing global adaptation and is expected to be available to users worldwide by late 2026.