Xpeng is ramping up its robotaxi efforts and is hiring top talent with global market robotaxi experience at high salaries.

Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV) is ramping up its robotaxi business with a new recruitment drive to hire talent with global market robotaxi experience, according to a report in local media outlet Sina Tech today.

The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker is currently offering positions including director of operations, senior manager of operations, and high salaries, according to the report.

Its robotaxi operations director position is primarily responsible for building systems for the business and driving the execution of robotaxi mobility services.

The position requires the candidate to have experience in a global tier-1 robotaxi company, involvement in unmanned robotaxi operations and self-driving operations system building, as well as experience in managing a team of 20-50 people, the report noted.

The company is offering a monthly salary range of RMB 40,000 ($5,650) to RMB 60,000 for the position, with 15 months of salary per year, topping out at nearly RMB 1 million per year.

Xpeng's larger effort in the robotaxi business comes just as Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is about to announce its robotaxi.

Tesla will hold a launch event for its robotaxi on October 10, starting at 7 pm Pacific time (October 11, 10 am Beijing time).

Xpeng will unveil its new flagship electric sedan, the P7+, later today, and it's not clear if it will mention plans for its robotaxi business at that time.

Xpeng began exploring the robotaxi business in the second half of 2022, when the G9 SUV (sport utility vehicle) was licensed for open road testing as a robotaxi on October 31, 2022, in Guangzhou, where the company is headquartered.

After that, however, the company didn't announce any new developments in the field until this year.

Regarding robotaxi business, Tesla wants to build the vehicle and operate it itself, while Xpeng has different thinking, the EV maker's chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng said in a Weibo post in July.

“Xpeng will launch a very competitive Robotaxi in 2026 at a set pace, but we won't get involved in the operation and will drive this change with our partners,” he said at the time.

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