Honda vs XPeng: Founders, CEOs and History
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa and is led by Toshihiro Mibe. XPeng was founded in 2014 by He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia, He Tao and is led by He Xiaopeng.
Company facts
Founders
Honda
Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda founded the company in 1946. Originally a mechanic who manufactured piston rings for Toyota, he realized that post-war Japan desperately needed cheap, reliable transportation.
Takeo Fujisawa
Takeo Fujisawa co-founded Honda in 1949, serving as the absolute perfect business counterpart to Soichiro Honda's engineering obsession.
XPeng
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.
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 Xiaopen…
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 catastrophi…
CEOs and their tenures
Honda
- Takeo Fukui2003–2009
President and Chief Executive Officer
Honda expanded production in North America and Asia under him. Takanobu Ito succeeded him in 2009.
Source - Takanobu Ito2009–2015
President and CEO
He introduced a plan to reorganise Honda global operations and handed the presidency to Takahiro Hachigo in 2015.
Source - Takahiro Hachigo2015–2021
Former President and CEO
Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
Source - Toshihiro Mibe2021–present
Director, President and Representative Executive Officer (CEO)
Mibe's tenure has been defined by the push into electrification and its costly reset. The EV charges produced Honda's first annual loss since listing, but the shift toward hybrids and motorcycles was followed by a record first-quarter profit in FY2027.
Source
XPeng
- He Xiaopeng2017–present
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
As Co-Founder and CEO, he acts as the absolute visionary driving force, aggressively pushing XPeng's 'XNGP' autonomous driving system to directly rival Tesla's FSD in massive Chinese mega-cities.
Source - Wang Fengying2023–present
President
Recruited as President (formerly the legendary CEO of Great Wall Motor), the highly feared automotive veteran brings absolute, iron-fisted operational discipline to the previously chaotic, software-focused startup.
Source
Timeline: Honda and XPeng side by side
1948Honda
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
1959Honda
American Honda Opens
Honda enters the US market, initially building awareness through motorcycles.
1963Honda
Honda Enters Automobiles
Honda expands from motorcycles and engines into automobile production.
1972Honda
Civic Launch
The Civic becomes a defining global nameplate for Honda's fuel-efficient automobile strategy.
1986Honda
Acquired Montesa
Honda Motor Co. acquired Montesa. Honda took control of the Spanish motorcycle maker Montesa, creating Montesa Honda to build trial and off-road motorcycles in Europe.
1986Honda
Acura Brand Launched
Honda launched the Acura luxury brand in the United States in 1986.
2000Honda
ASIMO Unveiled
Honda unveiled the ASIMO humanoid robot in 2000.
2014XPeng
XPeng founded in Guangzhou by Henry Xia and He Tao, with early backing from He Xiaopeng.
2015Honda
Takahiro Hachigo becomes CEO
Takahiro Hachigo became CEO of Honda Motor Co. in 2015. Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
2015Honda
First HondaJet Delivered
Honda delivered the first HondaJet business aircraft in December 2015.
2017XPeng
He Xiaopeng becomes full-time Chairman and CEO.
2018XPeng
G3 Launched
XPeng launched its first production model, the G3 sport-utility vehicle, in December 2018.
2020XPeng
NYSE listing under XPEV.
2021Honda
Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
2021XPeng
Dual-primary listing on HKEX under 9868.
2023XPeng
Volkswagen invests about US$700 million; Wang Fengying becomes President; deal agreed to acquire DiDi's smart auto business.
2024XPeng
MONA M03 Launched
XPeng launched the MONA M03, the first model of its lower-priced MONA brand, in August 2024.
2025XPeng
429,445 deliveries and first quarterly net profit in Q4.
2026Honda
FY2026 Loss and EV Reset
Honda reports ~$146 billion (JPY 21.797 trillion) in sales revenue and a ~$2.84 billion (JPY 423.9 billion) loss attributable to owners after EV write-downs, then posts a record ~$3.56 billion (JPY 530.7 billion) Q1 FY2027 operating profit in August.
2026XPeng
MONA L03 global launch in Munich; Dogotix agrees US$900 million share sale.
Acquisitions
Honda
- Astemo, Ltd.2026Undisclosed
- Keihin Corporation2020Undisclosed
- Showa Corporation2020Undisclosed
- Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.2020Undisclosed
- Montesa1986Undisclosed
XPeng
- PT Era Industri Otomotif (EIDO)2026Undisclosed
- DiDi Global smart auto business2023$744M
- DiDi Smart EV Division2023$744M
Questions about Honda vs XPeng
Who is the CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and XPeng?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Toshihiro Mibe and XPeng is led by He Xiaopeng. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs XPeng?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1948 — 66 years before XPeng, which was founded in 2014. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger XPeng.
How many employees does Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have compared to XPeng?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 195,109 people, while XPeng employs approximately 19,884. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 195,109 employees, compared to XPeng's 19,884. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and XPeng headquartered?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Japan and XPeng is headquartered in China. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and XPeng?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa. XPeng was founded by He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia, He Tao.
Which company has a longer operating history — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or XPeng?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has been operating for approximately 78 years, making it the more established of the two companies. XPeng has been in operation for around 12 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Honda vs XPeng overview