Chinese cars used to be objects of derision, even by those enjoying their iPhones, which were probably made in China. But times have changed – and quickly. The consensus is that Chinese-manufactured Teslas are better built than ones from Fremont, California (fewer panel gaps). Now native Chinese brands are starting to break outside of the home market. Newcomer XPeng is aiming to bring a premium, technology-focused experience to driving Chinese, and I got to drive its latest entrants in Amsterdam.
XPeng P7 Wing Edition test driven in the Netherlands.
XPeng isn’t the first Chinese carmaker to bring its electric vehicles to Europe. BYD, in which Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns shares, has been offering its cars in Norway for a few years, and has recently entered the UK market. XPeng also tested the waters with its P5 model. The latest European entrants from XPeng, however, are further up the scale of quality. The P7 is a premium sedan and the G9 a luxury SUV. The P7 I drove was virtually a production model, while the G9 had a few software glitches to iron out but was otherwise ready to go. The XPeng P7 and G9 were launched in Europe in February, and customer deliveries are now imminent.
XPeng P7
The first car I drove was the P7, which is a little longer than a Tesla Model 3 but shorter than a Model S. It’s more of a competitor with the former than the latter in price, though – and most definitely aimed at Tesla (of which more later). There are three main versions of the P7 – the RWD Long Range, the AWD Performance, and the “Wing Edition”, which is the AWD Performance with flashy scissor doors. The RWD car has 276hp and 440Nm of torque, while the AWD ones have 473hp and 757Nm.
I drove the AWD Performance and was impressed with the experience. The RWD is quite fast, hitting 62mph in 6.7 seconds, but the AWD Performance is very quick indeed, taking just 4.1 seconds. That makes it more rapid than the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3 Long Range, or about the same as the latter with the Acceleration Boost upgrade, but slower than the Model 3 Performance. Handling is precise and engaging, and the ride quality more forgiving of bumps than a Tesla Model 3. Power delivery is immediate, making impulsive overtaking very easy.
The XPeng P7 AWD Performance is a fast car.
All P7s in Europe come with 86.2kWh gross (82.7kWh net) battery capacity. This gives the RWD Long Range a WLTP range of 576km (360 miles) and the AWD Performance 505km (316 miles). These are competent figures, and competitive with BMW’s i4, but behind Tesla Model 3 versions above the basic version. The P7 can charge at up to 175kW and will take less than 29 minutes to go from 10 to 80%, so long journeys are entirely possible.
The front of the P7 cabin is comfortable and well laid-out. The rear seats are also well upholstered, but the knee and head room are merely good in this class. There is space for a couple of normal-sized adults in the rear to go long distances, but basketball players might not be so happy. The rear luggage space doesn’t have a hatchback door, however. So although the capacity is a decent 440 liters (15.5 cubic feet), and you can drop the rear seats forward, some items won’t fit through the gap, even if there theoretically would be space for them.
XPeng G9
If the P7 is a Model 3 competitor, the G9 sits somewhere between the Tesla Model Y and X. Size-wise it is closer to the Model Y, albeit a bit longer, but in equipment terms it’s more like the Model X. Both the P7 and G9 have a quality feel at every level, but the G9 has some distinct luxury features. This includes massage seats in the rear as well as the front, if you specify the relatively reasonable Cabin Comfort Package for 3,990 Euros ($4,300). This also includes Nappa Leather and a “Boss Button”, enabling full reclining of the front passenger seat.
Like the P7, there are three versions of the G9. These are the RWD Standard Range, RWD Long Range, and AWD Performance. The RWD Standard Range version has a rear motor with 308hp and 430Nm of torque, plus a battery with 78.2kWh gross capacity. The RWD Long Range has the same motor but a 98kWh battery (gross). The AWD Performance has the same battery, but dual motors delivering 543hp and 717Nm of torque.
The XPeng G9 is a luxurious, rapid SUV.
The G9 is a bit quicker in a straight line than the P7, with the RWD version taking 6.4 seconds to hit 62mph whichever battery size you choose. At first glance, I thought this could not also be true of the Long Range RWD version. However, XPeng claims this is 25kg lighter than the Standard Range, which might be because the latter uses Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cells for its battery, which tend to be heavier than the NMC cells used for the larger battery.
The AWD Performance takes just 3.9 seconds to reach 62mph, which is incredibly rapid for an SUV. This was the version of the G9 I drove, and again found the experience excellent. The G9 is not as involving as the P7, despite being slightly quicker. The weight means you won’t want to hit a corner too fast, although the suspension eats up bumps very well. The ride quality isn’t up with a true premium vehicle, such as the BMW i7, but it is very good. The seats are very comfortable front and back, with plenty of space in the rear, plus the ability to adjust the back seats. Alongside the massage function for rear passengers, the G9 will be a great place to be for long-distance travel.
XPeng’s new cars define a new level of quality for Chinese brands.
Even the RWD Standard Range G9 offers 460km (288 miles) of WLTP range, but the RWD Long Range version provides 570km (356 miles), and the AWD Performance 520km (325 miles). The Standard Range battery can charge at up to 260kW, but the Long Range and Performance can hit 300kW, a topic I will return to later.
The G9 has capacious rear luggage space, with 660 liters (23 cubic feet) plus a 71-liter (2.5 cubic feet) frunk. Drop the rear seats forward, and you get 1,576 liters (55 cubic feet). This is considerably behind a Tesla Model Y, but plenty of space for most needs, and towing is possible too.
XPeng Technology
While the specifications of both the P7 and G9 are competitive, the technology is where XPeng is aiming to truly differentiate its cars. There are five high-definition wave radars on both models, with 12 ultrasonic sensors (and 14 on the Wing Edition of the P7). There are 11 external cameras and one inside, for driver monitoring. Both car models have a 10.25in instrument display and a 15in infotainment display, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 processor. But the G9 offers a second 15in screen that is only visible for the front passenger. This means that they can watch media in transit without disturbing the driver. There is no HUD on either car, however.
The XPeng cars are packed with software features.
What really makes XPeng cars stand out from their competitors is the software. Of all the Chinese entrants into markets outside China, Xpeng is the most clearly aiming to emulate Tesla. The company, like Tesla, has built cars for the Software Defined Vehicle revolution from the outset. The menu system is incredibly well designed, with most functions easy to find and a clear layout. The nods towards Tesla are manifold, from the placement of the subtle X logo on the front onwards. The steering-wheel-based control arm for drive modes operates in the same way as Tesla (which, in turn, has its origin in the latter’s early collaboration with Mercedes-Benz). You pull down for forward drive, push up for reverse, and press the button on the end for park.
Even the cruise control is triggered in the same way, with an extra pull down on the drive mode stalk to engage it, just like a Tesla, and then a wheel to change the speed setting. XPeng’s XPILOT 2.5, included with both the P7 and G9 and driven by NVIDIA’s Orin-X processor, offers a very similar autonomous driving feature set to Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot. It enables adaptive cruise with steering intervention, which will take you round highway corners without you needing to turn the wheel yourself. It can also automatically change lanes for you. I tried both these capabilities on the G9, and they worked as intended.
Ultra-Rapid Charging
The G9 has a special trick up its sleeve when charging, too. Where the P7 uses a 400V architecture, the G9 has switched to 800V, and offers some of the fastest charging you will see. I was treated to a charging demonstration at IONITY, where a G9 car that had been deliberately depleted to 20% was hooked up to one of the 350kW devices. The session peaked at 265kW and was still doing strong at 180kW by 80%, having taken under 20 minutes to get there. Assuming the AWD Performance G9’s WLTP-rated range of 520km (325 miles), that’s around a 195-mile top-up – plenty for long distances.
Few EVs manage WLTP range, but the G9 I drove achieved 3.4 miles per kWh while I was driving it, which is close. The P7 I drove managed more like 3.6 miles per kWh, which is even more impressive, and would imply a real-world range of close to 300 miles. However, it’s worth noting that Dutch roads are not fast. Most highways have a 100km/h (62mph) limit during the day, with local roads set to 80km/h (50mph) or even 50 km/h (31mph), so the majority of driving in the Netherlands will be in the sweet spot for efficiency (unless you break the law).
The XPeng G9 charging curve maintains a high power right up to 80%.
The pricing for XPeng’s cars is quite reasonable, too – neither budget oriented nor expensive. The P7 starts at 49,990 Euros ($54,000) for the RWD Long Range, with the AWD Performance coming in at 59,990 Euros ($65,000) and the “Wing Edition” 69,990 Euros ($76,000). These prices are all a bit more than the equivalent Tesla Model 3, but not hideously so. The Standard Range G9 is 57,990 Euros ($63,000), rising to 71,990 Euros ($78,000) for the AWD Performance. These prices are also more than the equivalent Tesla Model Y, but interior luxury is superior. For the time being, the cars are only on sale in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark, but XPeng is considering expansion into other European countries including the UK.
At this point, it’s worth addressing the elephant in the room and preempt the obvious responses on social media. The West’s relationship with China is about as bad as it has been for decades. But XPeng is a privately owned company, and political sentiments aside, it’s hard to deny that the cars XPeng is now making are head and shoulders above native Chinese brands from just a few years ago. Both the P7 and G9 are eminently desirable vehicles, with great performance and range, packed with technology. I hope they make it to the UK soon.
