XPeng’s new humanoid robot, IRON, stunned viewers with its lifelike movements during a live demo, sparking viral debate and accusations of fakery — until the CEO revealed its mechanical interior on stage
China’s electric vehicle maker XPeng has ignited global fascination — and controversy — after unveiling a humanoid robot so realistic that many online viewers refused to believe it was real.
During a live event earlier this week, XPeng introduced IRON, a full-scale humanoid robot that walked onto the stage with eerily smooth movements and humanlike posture. Within minutes, clips of the demonstration went viral across Chinese and international social media platforms, with many users claiming the presentation must have been staged.
“Those are human movements — no robot can walk like that,” one user wrote on Weibo, echoing widespread skepticism. Others speculated that XPeng had employed a person in a robotic suit, pointing to the fluid motion of IRON’s limbs and head as evidence.
In response to the mounting doubts, XPeng’s CEO He Xiaopeng stepped back on stage to address the controversy directly. In a dramatic moment, he removed part of IRON’s leg covering in front of the live audience, revealing mechanical components underneath — a move seemingly aimed at silencing accusations of fakery.
XPeng has not yet released detailed specifications for IRON, but the demonstration suggests the company is expanding its ambitions beyond electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology. The reveal positions XPeng among a growing number of tech firms in China and abroad pushing the boundaries of humanoid robotics — a field rapidly blurring the line between science fiction and reality.
