XPeng
Company History
XPeng History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2014 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
When was XPeng founded?
XPeng was founded in 2014 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China by He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia and He Tao, making it 12 years old.
- Founded
- 2014
- Founding place
- Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Founders
- He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia and He Tao
- Headquarters today
- Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Milestones documented
- 9 (2014–2026)
- Current CEO
- He Xiaopeng
- Acquisitions
- 3
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014 | XPeng founded in Guangzhou by Henry Xia and He Tao, with early backing from He Xiaopeng. |
| 2017 | He Xiaopeng becomes full-time Chairman and CEO. |
| 2018 | G3 Launched |
| 2020 | NYSE listing under XPEV. |
| 2021 | Dual-primary listing on HKEX under 9868. |
| 2023 | Volkswagen invests about US$700 million; Wang Fengying becomes President; deal agreed to acquire DiDi's smart auto business. |
| 2024 | MONA M03 Launched |
| 2025 | 429,445 deliveries and first quarterly net profit in Q4. |
| 2026 | MONA L03 global launch in Munich; Dogotix agrees US$900 million share sale. |
- Where was XPeng founded?
- XPeng was founded in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China in 2014.
- Who founded XPeng?
- XPeng was founded by He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia and He Tao.
- When did XPeng start?
- XPeng was founded in 2014.
- How old is XPeng?
- XPeng is 12 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
XPeng was founded in Guangzhou in 2014 by former GAC engineers Henry Xia and He Tao, with early backing from UCWeb co-founder He Xiaopeng. He Xiaopeng left Alibaba in 2017 to become full-time Chairman and CEO. The company delivered its first mass-produced model, the G3 SUV, in 2018, listed on the NYSE in 2020 and added a Hong Kong listing in 2021. Both engineering co-founders left the core management team in 2024.
Founders
He Xiaopeng
He Xiaopeng co-founded XPeng in 2014. A highly successful software billionaire (having sold UCWeb to Alibaba), he brought massive capital and deep software expertise to the automotive industry. He explicitly modeled XPeng after Tesla, fiercely obsessing over building highly advanced, proprietary autonomous driving algorithms entirely in-house. He Xiaopeng was born in 1977 in Huangshi. Education: South China University of Technology. He was born on November 3, 1977. He co-founded UCWeb in 2004, which Alibaba Group acquired in June 2014.
Henry Xia
Henry Xia (Xia Heng) co-founded XPeng in 2014. As a former senior R&D executive at GAC Group, he provided the absolutely critical, deeply complex mechanical engineering expertise required to actually manufacture a physical car, bridging the gap between Xiaopeng's software vision and physical reality. Henry Xia was born in 1983. Education: Tsinghua University. Xia Heng, known as Henry Xia, was born on November 7, 1983.
He Tao
He Tao co-founded XPeng in 2014. Also a highly experienced veteran from GAC Group, he managed the massive, incredibly complex supply chain and early physical prototyping required to bring the company's first electric SUVs to mass production without catastrophic delays. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
XPeng founded in Guangzhou by Henry Xia and He Tao, with early backing from He Xiaopeng.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHe Xiaopeng becomes full-time Chairman and CEO.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgG3 Launched
XPeng launched its first production model, the G3 sport-utility vehicle, in December 2018.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgNYSE listing under XPEV.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDual-primary listing on HKEX under 9868.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgVolkswagen invests about US$700 million; Wang Fengying becomes President; deal agreed to acquire DiDi's smart auto business.
Source: ir.xiaopeng.comMONA M03 Launched
XPeng launched the MONA M03, the first model of its lower-priced MONA brand, in August 2024.
Source: en.wikipedia.org429,445 deliveries and first quarterly net profit in Q4.
Source: prnewswire.comMONA L03 global launch in Munich; Dogotix agrees US$900 million share sale.
Source: prnewswire.comMajor Acquisitions
DiDi Global smart auto business
2023Acquired DiDi's smart EV development business in exchange for newly issued XPeng shares, valued at about $748 million (HK$5.84 billion).
PT Era Industri Otomotif (EIDO)
2026Indonesian EV manufacturing entity (90.1% stake).
DiDi Smart EV Division
2023Technology and IP for Mona project.
Keep researching XPeng
XPeng Company History FAQ
When, where, and how was XPeng founded?
XPeng was founded in 2014 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, by automotive engineers Henry Xia (Xia Heng) and He Tao, alongside internet entrepreneur He Xiaopeng (co-founder of UCWeb), who initially funded the company before becoming full-time CEO.
When did XPeng launch its first production electric vehicle?
XPeng launched its first mass-production model, the G3 compact electric SUV, in December 2018, featuring advanced automated parking and automated driver assistance systems.
When did XPeng go public on the stock exchange?
XPeng listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: XPEV) in August 2020, raising $1.5 billion, followed by a dual-primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX: 9868) in July 2021.
What was the landmark Volkswagen partnership announced in July 2023?
Volkswagen Group invested $700 million to acquire a 4.99% equity stake in XPeng, forming a strategic alliance to jointly develop two B-class electric vehicles for the Chinese market using XPeng's Edward platform and software.
What was the acquisition of Didi's smart EV business in 2023?
In August 2023, XPeng acquired the smart electric vehicle assets of ride-hailing giant Didi for $744 million in shares, using the technology to launch the mass-market MONA brand.
What made the launch of the MONA M03 in 2024 a turning point?
Launched in August 2024 at an attractive price point under 120,000 RMB ($17,000 USD), the stylish MONA M03 electric coupe racked up over 30,000 orders in 48 hours, radically expanding XPeng's delivery volumes.
What is XPeng's autonomous driving technology milestone?
XPeng was the first Chinese automaker to roll out full-scenario Navigation Guided Pilot (XNGP) without relying on high-definition maps, expanding urban autonomous driving nationwide across major Chinese cities.
What is XPeng AeroHT and its flying car project?
XPeng AeroHT is XPeng's urban air mobility affiliate developing eVTOL flying cars, including the 'Land Aircraft Carrier' modular vehicle featuring an electric ground van carrying a two-person flying aircraft.
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