New Xpeng P7 launched as Chinese Tesla Model 3 rival

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has launched its second production model at the Shanghai motor show.

The P7 four-door saloon will rival the Tesla Model 3 with contemporary coupé-like styling and a drivetrain that's claimed to provide it with a range of more than 311 miles in China’s NEDC-based tests. 

The company says the dual-motor, all-wheel drive X7 will manage 0-62mph in four seconds, and will arrive with level 3 autonomous driving features.

Key styling elements include a long wheelbase, a short front overhang, frameless doors, concealed door handles and a panoramic windscreen.

The fledgling company, formally known as Xiaopeng Automobile, also says the P7, formerly known under the codename E28, will offer “superior driver-vehicle interaction and cutting-edge autonomous driving features to complement its performance and range”.

Speaking at the 2019 Nvidia GPU Technology Conference in the US last month, Xpeng's head of autonomous driving, Xinzhou Wu, said: “Our in-house operating system and proprietary autonomous driving software built on Nvidia's powerful Xavier chip make E28 the most advanced production model in terms of user interface design and intelligent features in the Chinese auto market today."

The P7’s powertrain appears to draw heavily on that of the G3, an Audi Q3-sized SUV. That car is currently on sale with front-wheel drive but is planned to receive a four-wheel drive option later this year. In its most potent form, the G3 develops 195bhp and 221lb ft of torque, providing it with a claimed 0-62mph time of 7.9sec. Its 47kWh lithium ion battery is expected to be carried over to the E28.

Unlike the G3, which is produced under contract by Haima, a subsidiary of First Automobile Works, at its plant in Zhengzhou in China’s Hanan province, the P7 is planned to be manufactured in Xpeng’s own production site in Zhaoqing in the province of Guangdong.

Founded in 2014, Xpeng has raised over 10 billion Chinese Yuan (£1.12 billion) in funding to date. It is backed by a group of renowned Chinese companies, including Alibaba, Foxconn, IDG Capital and Hillhouse Capital, among others.

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