XPeng (XPEV) shares jumped 1.5% on Friday after the company announced it had begun employee testing of its robotaxi service in Guangzhou. Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng became the first internal passenger to complete a full ride, from ordering through an app to being picked up and dropped off autonomously. The successful test connected the entire service chain, from ride request and dispatch to passenger transport and trip completion. XPeng frames the robotaxi as a major milestone in moving beyond smart electric vehicles to autonomous “robotic vehicles” powered by Physical AI. The company aims to complete trial operations and begin regular demonstration services in 2026, starting with Guangzhou as a model city, and is exploring partnerships across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. XPeng plans to act as a technology supplier, providing its autonomous driving software and hardware to local partners. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around XPEV stock stayed within the ‘bearish’ territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume stayed at ‘low’ levels. XPEV stock has fallen 35% year-to-date.