- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr Ar He
XPeng. Small but mighty
XPeng was registered in April 2015. It was founded by people from the media industry and public funds. The company turned out to be very ambitious, even its name was not chosen by chance: the word ‘Xiaopeng’ (the full name of the company) means ‘small but mighty’. Moreover, it really is not small, since up to 3 factories are being built (although production began using the resources of other companies), and investors have allocated 100 million dollars for the development and sale of the first model. Today, XPeng has several research centers not only in China, but also in Europe and the United States. The company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (a majority stake is held by Lei Jun, billionaire and founder of Chinese giant Xiaomi). Almost all the main employees of the “mighty” Chinese company came from BMW, Lamborghini and Ford. The company immediately focused on the production of electric vehicles, so it is deeply committed to the latest technologies, up to a flying car.
In the future, XPeng plans to release flying cars! The first-born XPeng X2, although it looks like a large quadcopter, can lift two passengers and 100 kg of cargo to a height of up to 1 km! The speed can reach 130 km/h. And this is just a trial balloon in the path of a great flycar from sci-fi movies: it will drive on roads and fly over cities. Good luck, XPeng, small but mighty!
First model
The company made its first car, the Xpeng Beta, on a worthy basis: outwardly it is an inaccurate copy of the Lexus NX SUV while inside it looks similar to the Tesla Model X. The vehicle turned out to be advanced, as it can be controlled via a smartphone or tablet application. The concept car is equipped with a lithium-ion battery Samsung and comes in versions with one or both drive axles. Moreover, a modification with an electric motor should accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, and a twin-engine version does it in 5.8 seconds.
The production model, the Identy X, appeared in October 2017. The car differed from the original sample and turned out to be compact: 4,470 mm long, 1,818 mm wide and 1,600 mm high. The wheelbase reached 2,610 mm. It features a digital dashboard on a 12.3-inch screen and a 15.6-inch multimedia system screen facing the driver. Many functions of the car could be controlled using a smartphone. The list of options included active cruise control and an automatic parking system. The electric motor produced 190 hp. The car was produced at a third-party factory in small batches.
Current model range
In 2022, the brand offers 4 cars: the G3 and G9 SUVs, the P5 and P7 sedans.
Xpeng G3
The G3 electric SUV found 15,000 buyers in China in the first 2 years of its life, which is a mediocre result. At the same time, the vehicle looked attractive and was already restyled in 2021. The electric motor on the front axle produces 197 hp, which accelerates the vehicle to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds, and the battery provides a driving range of up to 520 km. It was sent to conquer Europe, becoming the first model from a young brand to be exported to Norway.
Xpeng Р7
The P7 sedan looks sporty. This beautiful futuristic car debuted in April 2020. The company itself positions it as a flagship model: at the time of its launch, the P7 stood out from its competitors both in its technical characteristics and in its configuration, and with its obvious task to compete with the ‘people’s electric car’ Tesla Model 3. The electronic systems of the XPeng P7 were created in collaboration with Alibaba and Xiaomi. The company itself calls the electric sedan the “intelligent electric coupe”. Compared to the Model 3, the P7 is significantly larger (4,880 mm in length versus 4,694 mm) and has a longer driving range (562 km versus 445 km for the entry-level Tesla). In terms of dynamics, the Chinese model loses to the American model, accelerating in 6.7 seconds (the entry-level rear-wheel-drive Model 3 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds). And the Chinese sedan also has a level 3 autopilot that can take full control on the highway and while parking. Such a system is available for an extra charge even for the entry-level version.
Xpeng Р5
It is considered the most affordable sedan in the range. It is simpler and slightly smaller. The sedan is 4,808 mm long and 1,840 mm wide. Its wheelbase is 2,768 mm. The trunk volume of 450 liters. Inside, it looks a lot like the G3: front-wheel-drive only, semi-independent rear suspension. The car is equipped with an electric motor (211 hp and 310 Nm) and three traction batteries to choose from: from 55.9 kWh (460 km) to 71.4 kWh (600 km). The advanced version of the P5 received the XPilot 3.5 autopilot, which corresponds to the level 3 autonomy: it can drive on the highway, as well as park. The simplest cars have adaptive cruise control.
Xpeng G9
The large G9 SUV looks very aerodynamic. The length is 4,891 mm, the width is 1,937 mm and the height is 1,680 mm. The wheelbase is 2,998 mm, and the trunk is 660 liters (the maximum volume is 1576 liters). The entry-level SUV is rear-wheel drive and is equipped with an electric motor producing 313 hp and 430 Nm. The all-wheel drive modification has received an additional front electric motor with a capacity of 238 hp, the output maximum system reaches 551 hp and 717 Nm. The rear-wheel-drive version has a greater driving range of 702 km (according to the CLTC cycle), the 4-wheel-drive version offers 650 km. All vehicles are equipped with a 98 kWh battery, and the maximum speed is limited to 200 km/h. The high power charger can recharge 200 km in just 5 minutes.
