Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • New Product
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
    • Munich Auto Show
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
  • Features
    • Long Read
    • Interview of the Month
    • Focus on Electrification
    • Focus on Technology
    • Segment Analysis
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Europe By The Numbers
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Podcasts
  • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • ANE Congress
    • ANE Rising Stars
    • ANE Eurostars
  • More
    • Publishing Partners
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
    • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
    • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
    • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
    • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
    • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
    • Toyota Europe
    • UFI Filters
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Cars & Concepts
June 23, 2022 12:01 AM

Newcomer Xpeng tries old trick to challenge Tesla, Polestar

Chinese brand prices P5 to undercut Model 3, Polestar 2

Nick Gibbs
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Xpeng P5 rear view 2022

    The entry-level Xpeng P5 will include for free a suite of advanced driver assistance systems that start at 3,800 euros in the Tesla Model 3 and 2,066 euros in the Polestar 2.

    Xpeng might be a young Chinese brand looking to emulate Tesla’s success by offering a connected EV, but its promise to European consumers is an old favorite for new brands: offer more features for less than the competition.

    “Our plan is to offer 20 percent higher spec than the competitors’ entry-level models,” Isaac Yeo, head of Xpeng Netherlands, told Automotive News Europe on a recent driving event there.

    The P5 is Xpeng's newest car and was to be its launch vehicle in the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden in the fourth quarter, but supply chain problems forced a delay. The larger P7 will now be the brand's launch car in those countries, starting in the second quarter of 2023.

    The Basics

    Base price: 48,000 euros
    Battery size: 66 kWh
    Maximum range: 465 km (WLTP, not homologated)
    Where built: Zhaoqing, China
    Platform: A-class
    Main rivals: Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2, BMW i4, Nio ET5

    Xpeng's European campaign began in Norway in 2020 with the launch of the G3 compact electric SUV, but it picked the P7 and P5 sedan to roll out sales in other countries. The P9 large electric SUV will follow the P7 and P5.

    As promised, the P5 will undercut like-for-like versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2, its two closest rivals.

    Xpeng is targeting an entry price of 48,000 euros ($51,300) in the Netherlands for the 211-hp single-motor version of the P5, which has a 66-kilowatt-hour battery and a 465-km (289-mile) range.

    That nearly matches the entry Polestar 2, which starts at 47,900 euros in the Netherlands for a car with a 69-kWh battery, 474 km of range and a 228-hp single electric motor.

    The entry Tesla Model 3 costs 51,990 euros but offers more range – 491 km – from an undisclosed battery size and a single electric motor of undisclosed power.

    The base P5 also includes a panoramic sunroof, but its biggest trump card compared with its main rivals is standard fitment of a suite of advanced driver assistance systems. A similar package starts at 3,800 euros in the Model 3 and 2,066 euros in the Polestar 2.

    Xpeng calls its ADAS solution Xpilot 2.5, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, automated parking with the ability to summon the car using a smartphone and 360-degree-view camera monitoring.

    “The unique selling point of Xpeng is the technology: Xpilot, AI, and connected car features,” said Jackie Qiang, head of sales for Europe.

    The P5 for Europe, however, won’t be as high-tech as the Chinese version, which has been touted by company founder and namesake He Xiaopeng as “the world’s first mass-produced lidar-equipped smart EV.”

    Not ready for Europe, yet

    In China, Xpeng offers its Navigation Guided Pilot (NGP) on the highway as part of its Xpilot 3.0 ADAS solution, which is similar to Tesla’s so-called “Navigate with Autopilot” function.
    Xpilot 3.0 steers the car off the highway at the correct exit based on instructions given to the car’s navigation system, albeit this only takes place if the driver’s hands are on the steering wheel.
    Xpeng says the upgraded Xpilot 3.5 will include a lidar system and a new chip from technology supplier Nvidia that is supposed to make it possible for the car to follow map instructions on “major urban roads.” Lidar-equipped models won’t be coming to Europe, however.
    Xpeng had been following Tesla by charging customers to use its highway driving solution but said during its May earnings call that the technology will be free on cars bought with some additional hardware. This is a big shift from the over-the-air subscription model favored by Tesla for its so-called “Full Self Driving” package.

    European cars won’t get the lidar unit or the higher performing Xpilot 3.0 or 3.5 suites, the latter of which in China will offer the brand’s City Navigation Guided Pilot (see box, right).

    Just getting the car’s version of Xpilot 2.5 ready for Europe appears to have been hard enough for Xpeng.

    Our test drive of a prototype was negatively impacted by Xpilot 2.5’s overly sensitive lane-centering functionality, which would infuriate owners with its constant warnings and alarms if it were released in its current state.

    On a positive note, the system helped the car perform a faultless self-parking maneuver at the Mall of the Netherlands near The Hague, where Xpeng has opened its first so-called “Brand Experience” showroom in the country.

    Like the Model 3 and Polestar 2, the P5 was designed for markets that prefer sedans to hatchbacks, in contrast to what is most popular in Europe.

    The upside of its Chinese-angled proportions is that at 4808 mm the P5 is about 100 mm (about 4 inches) longer than its competition. The extra space is most noticeable in the roomy back seats and long trunk.

    Fast-charging capability is comparatively slow at a maximum 70 kilowatts direct current, while an on-board alternating-current charger is rated at 11 kW. A vehicle-to-load option allows up to 3.3 kW of power to be taken out of the car.

    Information is delivered via a 15.6-inch central portrait touchscreen and 12.3-inch screen behind the steering wheel.

    Despite Xpeng’s focus on voice recognition, the animated robot responding to commands of “Hey, Xpeng” proved no better at comprehension than systems offered by Western rivals.

    If Xpeng can successfully translate its Chinese-market smart-car capability to Europe, then that and the P5’s space, equipment and electric efficiency could make it an interesting alternative to the likes of Tesla and Polestar

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    McLaren 750S to supplant 720S flagship with 30 more hp
    Recommended for You
    McLaren 720S
    McLaren 750S to supplant 720S flagship with 30 more hp
    Audi Activesphere concept
    Audi Activesphere combines mixed reality interior with a pickup
    ALFAJAPAN-MAIN_i.jpg
    Alfa Romeo plans large E-segment vehicle for U.S. expansion by 2027
    Capgemini Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    Sponsored Content: Capgemini Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    SUBSCRIBE NOW
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • New Product
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • On The Move
      • Auto Shows
        • Munich Auto Show
        • Geneva Auto Show
        • Paris Auto Show
        • Beijing Auto Show
        • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Features
      • Long Read
      • Interview of the Month
      • Focus on Electrification
      • Focus on Technology
      • Segment Analysis
      • Cars & Concepts
      • Supplier Spotlight
      • Europe By The Numbers
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • ANE Congress
      • ANE Rising Stars
      • ANE Eurostars
    • More
      • Publishing Partners
        • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
        • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
        • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
        • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
        • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
        • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
        • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
        • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
        • Toyota Europe
        • UFI Filters
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • About Us