NIO vs XPeng: Founders, CEOs and History
NIO was founded in 2014 by William Li, Lihong Qin and is led by William Li. XPeng was founded in 2014 by He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia, He Tao and is led by He Xiaopeng.
Company facts
Founders
NIO
William Li
NIO possesses an aggressive, Silicon Valley-inspired founding story, rooted entirely in the explosion of Chinese tech entrepreneurship in the 2010s and driven by a charismatic, ambitious founder who wanted to build the 'Tesla of China' from scratch.
Lihong Qin
Lihong Qin stands as a crucial, though often historically under-recognized, co-founder of the NIO empire, bringing essential operational rigor, engineering expertise, and supply chain mastery to the partnership with William Li in the company's formative years.…
XPeng
He Xiaopeng
He Xiaopeng co-founded mobile browser maker UCWeb, which Alibaba acquired in 2014. He backed XPeng from its founding and became its full-time Chairman and CEO in 2017 after leaving Alibaba.
Henry Xia
Henry Xia (Xia Heng) co-founded XPeng in 2014 after working in vehicle engineering at Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC). He later served as company president and left the core management team in 2024.
He Tao
He Tao co-founded XPeng in 2014 alongside Henry Xia, also coming from GAC. He served as a senior vice president and left the core management team in 2024.
CEOs and their tenures
NIO
- Stanley Yu Qu
Chief Financial Officer and Head of NIO Power
Stanley Yu Qu is NIO's CFO and also heads NIO Power, the battery swap and charging business.
Source - William Li2014–present
Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer
William Li founded NIO in 2014 after founding auto portal Bitauto. He has led the company as chairman and CEO through its 2018 NYSE IPO, the 2019-2020 cash crisis and Hefei-backed rescue, the 2023 CYVN investment, and the launch of the ONVO and FIREFLY brands.
Source - Lihong Qin2014–present
Co-Founder and President
Lihong Qin co-founded NIO and serves as President, overseeing user operations and the user-community model built around NIO Houses.
Source
XPeng
- He Xiaopeng2017–present
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
Took XPeng public in New York and Hong Kong, brought in Volkswagen as a strategic investor, acquired DiDi's smart auto business, and pushed the company into robotics and flying cars.
- Wang Fengying2023–present
President
Led a restructuring of product planning and sales after joining from Great Wall Motor in January 2023.
Timeline: NIO and XPeng side by side
2014NIO
Founding of NIO
William Li and a team of automotive and technology veterans establish NIO in Shanghai, with a radical vision to create a premium electric vehicle brand that prioritizes user joy and builds its own proprietary energy infrastructure.
2014XPeng
XPeng founded in Guangzhou by Henry Xia and He Tao, with early backing from He Xiaopeng.
2016NIO
Unveiling of the EP9 Hypercar
NIO unveils the EP9, an all-electric hypercar that sets lap records at the Nürburgring and Circuit of the Americas, establishing the brand's premium credentials and proving the performance capabilities of its electric powertrain technology on the global stage.
2017NIO
Launch of the ES8 and First NIO Day
NIO holds its first annual NIO Day, a user-centric event, and officially launches the ES8, its first seven-seat premium smart electric SUV, marking the company's entry into the mass-market premium segment and the beginning of its battery swap service rollout.
2017XPeng
He Xiaopeng becomes full-time Chairman and CEO.
2018NIO
Initial Public Offering on the NYSE
NIO completes its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, raising significant capital to fund its aggressive expansion, R&D, and the build-out of its battery swap network, becoming one of the first Chinese EV startups to list in the US.
2019NIO
The Hefei Government Bailout and Survival
Facing a severe cash crisis, vehicle recalls, and short-seller attacks NIO is on the brink of bankruptcy.
2020NIO
Stock Price Surge and Market Leadership
Driven by a surge in EV adoption in China and strong delivery growth, NIO's stock price skyrockets, briefly making it one of the most valuable automakers in the world by market capitalization and solidifying its position as a leader in the premium EV segment.
2020XPeng
NYSE listing under XPEV.
2021NIO
Launch of the ET7 and NAD Autonomous Driving
NIO launches the ET7 flagship sedan, equipped with its advanced NIO Autonomous Driving (NAD) system and an array of sensors, including a prominent LiDAR unit, signaling the company's aggressive push into the software-defined, autonomous vehicle era.
2021XPeng
Dual-primary listing on HKEX under 9868.
2022NIO
European Expansion and Second Generation Platform
NIO officially expands its operations into key European markets, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, while simultaneously ramping up production of its second-generation vehicle platform, including the successful ET5 sedan and ES7 SUV.
2023NIO
Acquisition of JAC Manufacturing Assets and Swap Partnerships
NIO acquires key manufacturing assets from JAC Motors to secure its independent production qualifications, while simultaneously announcing historic strategic partnerships with major automakers like Changan and Geely to share and standardize its battery swap ne…
2023XPeng
Volkswagen invests about US$700 million; Wang Fengying becomes President; deal agreed to acquire DiDi's smart auto business.
2024NIO
Launch of the ONVO Mass-Market Brand
NIO officially launches its first sub-brand, ONVO, targeting the competitive mass-market family vehicle segment with the L60 SUV, using the proven battery swap infrastructure to offer a compelling value proposition and drive volume growth.
2024NIO
FY2024 Revenue Reaches RMB65.7 Billion
NIO reports FY2024 revenue of RMB65.73 billion (about US$9.0 billion), up 18.2%, and a net loss of ~$3.11 billion (RMB22.40 billion), its largest annual loss.
2025NIO
FY2025 Revenue Reaches $12.511B
NIO reports FY2025 total revenue of $12.511B, a net loss of $2.137B, and 35,032 full-time employees.
2025XPeng
429,445 deliveries and first quarterly net profit in Q4.
2026NIO
Q2 2026 Revenue Up 69.1%
NIO reports Q2 2026 revenue of ~$4.47 billion (RMB32.14 billion), vehicle margin of 18.5%, adjusted net profit of ~$3.63 million (RMB26.1 million) and cash reserves of ~$7.88 billion (RMB56.7 billion).
2026NIO
Geely Takes Stake in NIO Power
Geely agrees to buy about 30% of NIO Power, valuing the battery-swap business at roughly US$2.4 billion.
2026XPeng
MONA L03 global launch in Munich; Dogotix agrees US$900 million share sale.
Acquisitions
NIO
- JAC Automotive Manufacturing Assets2023$440M
- Innovusion (Strategic Investment)2021Undisclosed
Questions about NIO vs XPeng
Who is the CEO of NIO Inc. and XPeng?
NIO Inc. is led by William Li 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 NIO Inc. founded vs XPeng?
Both NIO Inc. and XPeng were founded in 2014, making them the same age.
How many employees does NIO Inc. have compared to XPeng?
NIO Inc. employs approximately 35,032 people, while XPeng employs approximately 19,884. NIO Inc. has the larger workforce at 35,032 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 NIO Inc. and XPeng headquartered?
Both NIO Inc. and XPeng are headquartered in China, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded NIO Inc. and XPeng?
NIO Inc. was founded by William Li, Lihong Qin. XPeng was founded by He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia, He Tao.
Which company has a longer operating history — NIO Inc. or XPeng?
NIO Inc. has been operating for approximately 12 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 NIO vs XPeng overview