(Yicai Global) March 10 -- Xpeng Motors has denied a report that two of the Chinese new energy vehicle’s co-founders will be impacted by the recent string of departures by senior executives, Beijing News reported.

Many core members of the automaker’s leadership team have already stepped down or are about to resign, online tech media 36Kr reported yesterday, citing several people with knowledge of the matter. This may just be the beginning and more unexpected resignations could affect Xia Heng and He Tao, two of the three men who founded the company in 2014, it added.

Liu Minghui, vice president of the powertrain department, has left and he will be succeeded by Gu Jie, who used to work as technology executive at US automotive components maker Delphi, the report said. Liao Qinghong, chief talent officer and vice president of sales, is now on vacation and is about to resign.

Guangzhou-based Xpeng has yet to respond as to whether many of its senior executives have resigned.

Xia has been in charge of product development, manufacturing and product quality for a long time, but he recently stepped down as executive director of the board of directors. He Tao focusses on procurement, supply chains and direct sales.

Last October, Xpeng began to adjust its internal and organization structure, after which many of the company’s senior executives started to leave the firm, according to 36Kr.

Since then there have been a number of personnel shifts. Li Pengcheng, Xpeng’s ex-vice president and former general manager in charge of branding and public relations, is said to join Changan Auto’s EV brand Avatr. While Geely’s former senior executive Yi Han has joined the firm to take charge of marketing, public relations and communications.

And on Jan. 30, Wang Fengying, ex-vice chair and former general manager of Great Wall Motor, joined Xpeng Motors as co-president, to take charge of the automaker’s product planning, product matrix as well as sales systems.

Editor: Kim Taylor