(Yicai) Oct. 11 -- Xpeng Motors, a Chinese electric vehicle startup, will launch autonomous ride-hailing services and has started recruiting relevant executives after previously saying it would not enter the market.

Xpeng will test its robotaxi services on its mass-produced models in the second half of next year before launching operations in 2026, founder He Xiaopeng said on Weibo yesterday. The carmaker is stepping up efforts in the area and welcomes talents to join, he added.

Just over two months ago, He said that Guangzhou-based Xpeng "would not be involved in robotaxi operations."

Xpeng is offering an annual salary of up to CNY1 million (USD137,900) for a robotaxi services operations director and up to CNY600,000 (USD82,740) for relevant senior operations managers, according to several listings Yicai found on major recruitment platforms.

The operations director will oversee the implementation of the robotaxi business. Candidates must have worked for top global robotaxi firms, have hands-on involvement in autonomous ride-hailing services operations and building a full-stack autonomous driving operational system, and have experience managing teams of 20 to 50 people.

Whether carmakers should directly engage in robotaxi operations has been a contention within the auto industry. As a service-oriented business targeting the mass market, autonomous ride-hailing services differ significantly from traditional car manufacturing in business systems and human resource requirements.

This disparity was one of the main reasons He noted earlier that Xpeng would advance the robotaxi business in collaboration with partners rather than independently.

US EV giant Tesla is expected to officially launch its Tesla robotaxi service at a "We, Robot" event today.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev