Finally, if there’s little profit in the lowest end EV models
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Also true with IC vehicles. That’s why Ford & GM crank out oodles of $70+K pick ups.
They crank out oodles of pickups and SUVs because people buy oodles of pickups and SUVs.
DB2
Latest on Xpeng:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/xpeng-to-launch-two-new-ev…
XPeng Inc., a China-based smart electric vehicle company, plans to launch two new models next year.
The company said Tuesday that it will launch an advanced driver-assistance function in the coming months and equip its flagship SUV model with its next-generation XPilot platform in the third quarter.
The company also said Tuesday that it has reached a milestone of 200,000 cumulative smart EV deliveries.
XPeng completed its first production model in December 2018 and reached 10,000 monthly deliveries by September 2021. The company delivered 98,155 smart EVs last year.
Xpeng P7-a poor man’s Tesla Model S Long Range:
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/xpeng-p7-first-drive-revi…
XPeng claims a range of up to 329 miles on the WLTP test cycle for the RWD Long Range, and a 0-60 mph acceleration time of less than 6.9 seconds. Claimed WLTP range for the 4WD High Performance is up to 292 miles, with a claimed 0-60 mph acceleration time of less than 4.5 seconds. (Note: EPA range is usually 20-30 percent lower on average than the WLTP quoted figure.) The P7’s 80 kWh battery pack will accept up to 90 kilowatts on a DC fast charge, which allows it to go from five- to 80-percent charge in about 51 minutes, according to Xpeng.
Neither version of the P7 threatens the Tesla Model S in terms of outright range or performance. But to airily dismiss this Chinese EV because of that is to miss the point. Entirely.
It may not be a world-beater, but the XPeng P7 is one of the most impressive new cars we’ve driven this year.
In Norway, the XPeng P7 4WD High Performance costs less than two-thirds the price of a dual-motor Tesla Model S Long Range. In U.S. dollars, using the conversion rate current at the time of writing, that would make it a $53,000 car.
The XPeng P7 proves the point. The way it looks and feels and drives means it would be right at home on any driveway in America right now, with no excuses needed. Were the P7 to be launched here, with software updated to suit the U.S. operating environment and American consumer tastes, and priced as competitively as it is in Norway, it would shock the automotive establishment. Tesla included.
Quite a bit more than their G3 model but a third less than the Tesla comparable competition.
This relative new upstart appears to have a found a place in the EV market. I would liken it to offering Camry type vehicle to compete with a Lexus type vehicle. A vehicle with a reduced range & no nose bleed acceleration but at a significant price savings.
I put a few shekels into the market (XPEV).
https://cleantechnica.com/2021/03/05/the-xpeng-p7-achieves-2…
Xpeng isn’t seeing blockbuster electric vehicle sales yet, but its first model just hit the market slightly more than two years ago and the company was formed approximately 7 years ago, so it would be hard to expect 100,000+ annual sales so quickly. That said, it has left the starting line quickly and already has a few records to its name.
One of those record firsts was just reached. The company’s P7 electric sedan reached 20,181 cumulative sales thanks to 1,409 deliveries in February. Being a little more than a year old, that’s the quickest that a car from a Chinese EV startup has reached 20,000 cumulative sales.
Their driving range and tech seem like they’d result in much higher starting prices. As noted earlier this week, the G3 electric crossover now starts at just 180,000 yuan ($27,800) before subsidies (or 149,800 yuan/$23,150 after subsidies). That model has 400 km (249 miles) of range (perhaps 300 km or 186 miles in the real world), according to the NEDC rating system. The Xpeng P7 costs 229,900 yuan ($35,500) after subsidies and an NEDC-rated range of 480 km (298 miles) — perhaps 360 km (224 miles) in the real world. That base model also comes with the XPILOT 2.5+ semi-autonomous driving suite (higher trims come with XPILOT 3.0). The higher trim P7, meanwhile, offers 706 km (439 miles) of range on a full charge according to the NEDC system — perhaps 530 km (330 miles) in the real world.
Tesla opened their California plant in October 2015. They sold ~25000 that year. They nearly doubled that number in 2016. Stagnate growth in 2017. Then quadrupled production in 2018. Then maintained that level for 3 year. A 50% increase in 2021.
Can the upstart Xpeng match or exceed those numbers? Their intent seems clear as they are building 2 new manufacturing plants.
Their G3 has been rated top in quality in the compact battery-powered electric vehicle segment by JD Power.
Another potential factor to consider-the CCP. They brought in Tesla-likely to steal as much technology & knowhow as possible. Would the CCP want a outsider (foreign entity) or a domestic EV manufacturer to dominate in China? Just saying. Even if Tesla was forced to close their Shanghai plant they will continue to do well. But it would be stumbling block to overcome.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Tesla%2C_Inc.
https://carsalesbase.com/us-tesla/
https://topelectricsuv.com/news/xpeng/xpeng-sweden-netherlan…
https://insideevs.com/news/524097/xpeng-g3-jd-power-quality/…
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