It was “The US will get all the good things.” More and more, it seems like “China will get all the good things.” The information this week is that China’s getting a depraved compelling, aggressive new electrical coupe SUV — the XPeng G6. That is “the primary manufacturing mannequin constructed below its next-generation automobile expertise structure SEPA 2.0.” Humorous sufficient, the US doesn’t even get the official video in regards to the G6 as rapidly as China — we’re getting it a day later. (Although, evidently is because of the truth that they added English dubbing — as a substitute of subtitles — to the video of the launch presentation.) Now that it’s been printed for an English viewers, let’s dive in!
After all, the XPeng G6 unveiling occasion occurred in China as a result of that’s the place the G6 is bought. It’ll ultimately make its strategy to Europe too, presumably, however it’s not even sure the electrical coupe SUV will ever make it to the USA. Nevertheless, noteworthy is that proper initially of the presentation, XPeng Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng stated, “Throughout each new product debut, I all the time wish to remind you about our motivation and our imaginative and prescient. We’re totally different from our friends in a way that we’re very new and we hold reminding ourselves of why we’re right here and the way we constructed our differentiation. We wish to serve the entire world utilizing expertise and innovation, and our imaginative and prescient has all the time been to disrupt the market, and in addition to discover future innovation.” So that you’re telling me there’s an opportunity?
“We’ve witnessed a whole lot of creations — for instance, airplanes, automobiles — they’ve modified our lives for good. Nevertheless, with so many inventions and creations, we nonetheless haven’t seen sufficient Chinese language firms which might be devoted to mobility innovation. That is without doubt one of the key the reason why we wish to be totally different from our friends, and that’s the reason we actually give attention to expertise and innovation. We by no means place ourselves as a regional firm, and we’re not confined to regional services or products, and we goal to construct high-quality and distinctive automobiles.” So that you’re actually telling me there’s an opportunity!
Nicely, anyway, let’s get on to the G6 and hope it will get to the USA someday.
The G6 is XPeng’s first mannequin based mostly on its new SEPA2.0 expertise structure. In his presentation, He Xiaopeng in contrast this to Apple launching the iPhone 4 in 2010. After a whole lot of dialogue round EV patrons’ needs and clever cars, he stated, “G6 is predicted to be the benchmark of the subsequent era of sensible NEVs. And we imagine a whole lot of future automobiles are going to benchmark G6 regarding the total capabilities, the worth that we convey to the shoppers, and in addition the expertise and intelligence-assisted driving capabilities that we have now integrated in G6.” Earlier than even unveiling the automobile, XPeng acquired 35,000+ pre-orders for the G6 in latest weeks.
He Xiaopeng notes that the G6’s design relies on a water droplet, an attention-grabbing and delightful inspiration. It additionally features a new “roboface” or “robotic face.” He additionally references a “lightsaber” within the headlight design. Have a better look:
The automobile has an ultra-low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.248, which can assist the automobile to maximise it’s battery’s juice for longer driving vary. The automobile contains 17 totally different options to maximise Cd.
From the corporate’s press launch in regards to the automobile, XPeng states, “Developed in session with Sci-Fi author Liu Cixin, the G6’s physique design boasts smooth traces derived from tech-fluid aesthetics. Moreover, the G6’s suspended roof design, coupled with its lengthy 2890mm wheelbase and 60.8% axial size ratio, supply ample headroom and spacious rear seats. This design completely balances the coupe’s smooth fastback styling with client demand for a spacious cabin, making certain bountiful consolation and house.”
Within the presentation, He Xiaopeng notes that as a result of the inside house was maximized by the corporate so nicely, it feels extra like a bigger SUV inside than it technically is. Particularly, he highlights to good headroom within the G6, after throwing some shade at different sport SUVs and sedans for lacking a beat right here. It achieves good headroom within the again through CIB battery-body integration in addition to a “suspended roof.”
In addition they spotlight the superior legroom within the again seat of the G6 in comparison with prime rivals.
Naturally, the G6 can also be tremendous fast. It may possibly go from 0–100 km/h in simply 3.9 seconds (or 5.9 seconds in case you get the single-motor model as a substitute of the dual-motor model. In addition they clarify within the presentation technical particulars of why the automobile’s dealing with is nice — however that stuff will not be notably attention-grabbing to me. (Watch the video if you would like each element.)
After the reason of why the G6’s dealing with is best than a million-dollar sports activities automobile’s, some crucial (however very boring) stuff on security, and a few crucial (however very boring) stuff on effectivity, He Xiaopeng notes that when examined in Norway together with many different EVs, XPeng’s G9 and P7 exceeded their vary rankings whereas all different competing EVs underperformed on this class aside from the Mercedes EQE SUV, which was proper on the mark. Moreover, the G9 supplied essentially the most vary of all of them — 588 km (365 miles).
The XPeng G9 additionally supplied the quickest charging in keeping with this unbiased check.
XPeng then takes us to the tech — the corporate’s actual satisfaction and pleasure. Earlier within the presentation XPeng Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng stated, “In 2021, we debuted the business’s first mass-produced automobile mannequin with lidars, and we developed the business’s first ADAS for city driving in China, and final 12 months we additionally produced China’s first 800-volt ultrafast charging expertise, we debuted China’s first BEV plus transformer-based deep visible neural community, we saved main in innovation.” Now we get to what it’s completed extra just lately with the G6 and its underlying structure.
After main the nation in autonomous parking and autonomous freeway driving, XPeng dropped at market the business’s first ADAS for metropolis driving in China, additionally utilizing “the business’s first mass produced visual-only reminiscence parking perform.” (So far as I’ve seen, XPeng nonetheless presents the most effective autoparking in the marketplace. That was final 12 months. In 2023, XPeng has launched its Metropolis GNP (its model of Tesla Full Self Driving, however higher) to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. These 4 cities are dwelling to 21.5 million, 26.3 million, 12.6 million, and 15.3 million folks, respectively. That’s 75.7 million folks mixed. That’s greater than the populations of all however 19 international locations on the earth, and it’s coming to extra Chinese language cities quickly.
XPeng plans to roll out XNGP to ~50 cities in 2023 and ~200 in 2024. It’s reaching this mass rollout by eliminating reliance on high-definition maps.
He Xiaopeng notes that he thinks XPeng is main rivals in China by 12–36 months on this matter.
Not utilizing HD maps, XPeng will roll out AI Valet Driver mode within the second half of this 12 months. Amongst different issues, the AI Valet Driver will really study a few of your individual driving habits! Now we’re attending to critical AI driver training and self-driving.
“The AI driver can really study out of your driving habits from dwelling to the corporate, and so they can really choose up your route and navigation, and so they additionally permit you to have a number of custom-made routes as nicely. You possibly can mechanically prepare them, retailer it, and in addition you’ll be able to share your offline methods with your pals.”
No different automaker on the earth is providing one thing like this.
Curiously, Metropolis GNP has been used for 62% of XPeng driving in these 4 cities the place it’s been deployed.
He Xiaopeng additionally mentioned one thing I by no means see mentioned with this type of tech — not from Tesla or anybody else. That’s how effectively their self-driving system drives in comparison with an environment friendly driver. Xiaopeng presents Metropolis NGP as being 90% as environment friendly, which is sort of good however, he notes, offers room for enchancment. The transparency and dedication to enchancment are refreshing. Moreover, its Freeway NPG tech has gotten faster than a traditional driver.
Weekly penetration of XNGP has reached almost 95%. Meaning 95% of XPeng drivers are utilizing its semi-autonomous driving tech at the very least as soon as per week.
Pricing for the XPeng G6 ranges from 209,900 RMB ($28,937) to 276,900 RMB ($38,174). Deliveries start in July 2023.
Frankly, after watching the presentation and based mostly on what I’ve realized about XPeng tech prior to now a number of years, I don’t see a greater EV for the cash in the marketplace, and it might be the highest of my checklist for a brand new electrical automobile if I lived in China … or if XPeng introduced it to the USA (trace, trace).
All photographs courtesy of XPeng (principally screenshots of the G6 unveiling presentation).
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