When it comes to EVs, China is leading from the front. XPeng is one of the biggest automakers in the country and it is now entering the European market, with just one aim: to conquer.
What makes XPeng particularly important is that it is being viewed as a direct rival to Tesla.
The company is now looking for expansion in Europe.
He Xiaopeng, the company’s CEO recently stated that “Our global journey starts from Europe, propelled by our commitment to the smart EV penetration.”
XPeng has already entered the European market through its P7 flagship sedan which was delivered to the Norwegian market last August. Now XPeng is coming with P5.
Countries In Europe Where XPeng Is Taking Pre-Orders
Here are some of the countries where XPeng has already started taking pre-orders of the P5 EV:
- Denmark;
- The Netherlands;
- Norway;
- Sweden.
Interested customers can reserve their vehicle using the official website as well as the mobile app of XPeng.
Stores In Sweden & Netherlands
The company has also opened its first self-operated store in Europe in Stockholm. This store became operational in February and XPeng is now looking forward to opening another one in the Netherlands by March next year.
Agreement With Bilia
XPeng is also in the process of signing a deal with Bilia which is a large automotive dealership in Sweden.
After the deal, XPeng vehicles will be displayed at Bilia stores where they will also be serviced. This will aid XPeng in gaining more visibility and thus better sales figures.
Agreement With Emil Frey
In a similar move, XPeng has joined hands with Emil Frey which is a major auto retailer in the Netherlands.
Pricing
The starting price of the XPeng P5 is expected to be around €22,700.
Specifications Of XPeng P5
Here are the specifications of the car:
– 0 to 100 kph: 7.5 seconds;
– Battery Size: 60.2 kWh;
– Range: Up to 598 km for the top model.
Variants
For now, the XPeng P5 is offered in two different variants which are:
FWD Single Motor;
AWD Dual Motor.
Interior
The vehicle’s interior is a work of art and resembles Tesla vehicles in that it features big screens.
How Does The European Variant Differ From The Original One?
The P5 electric vehicle to be offered in Europe will have the following features that are different from the original version of the car:
A Relatively Older Driver Assistance System
The European version will have the Xpilot 2.5 which is the company’s ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System).
This is an advanced level autonomous system however it does not completely allow the driver to look away from the road.
It is worth noting that the company is now offering an advanced variant of the autonomous driving system in its vehicles being delivered in China.
No Lidar Availability
The European variant of the car will also not have the Lidar technology. This Light Detection & Ranging system is effective in that it creates a 3D view of the car’s surroundings.
While Lidar technology aids the vehicle in autonomous driving, the relatively older Xpilot 2.5 does not require it.
XPeng has developed its autonomous driving system in-house which is a smart move by the brand.
These added autonomous driving features might be able to attract the European market which is already pretty interested in driving assistance systems.
Final Verdict
The brick and mortar approach is going to benefit XPeng in the European market. This is vital for the company because it now wants to have more than half of its sales outside China.
However, how the European market will accept the stripped-down variant of XPeng P5 is yet to be seen.
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