Xpeng P7

Chinese Tesla Model 3 rival impresses with some tech and dynamics connected archetypal European outing Launched successful its location state successful 2020, the Xpeng P7 is the Chinese EV start-up’s existent best-seller, and the Tesla Model 3 rival has received a fig of upgrades for its accomplishment successful Europe - including much powerfulness and faster charging.The sleek saloon and the caller G9 SUV are the absorption of the firm’s bold European expansion, which started softly successful Norway successful 2021 but this twelvemonth volition grow to the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. The steadfast says it is presently firming up plans for different countries, including the UK – though the other complication of right-hand thrust conversion means it has yet to hole a date.It’s casual to spot wherefore Xpeng believes the P7 could find occurrence implicit here, and a glimpse astatine the spec expanse shows a car that’s competitory successful galore ways with the likes of Tesla and premium saloons specified arsenic the Mercedes-Benz EQE and BMW i4.At 4888mm long, the P7 is really person successful magnitude to the Model S than the Model 3. That said, the smaller car seems a fairer comparison: Tesla is inactive considered an manufacture start-up successful immoderate quarters, but see that the Model S launched 2 years earlier Xpeng was founded…Using the aforesaid Edward architecture – yes, antithetic sanction for a car platform, that – arsenic the caller G9, the P7 saloon is offered with a prime of single- and twin-motor powertrains. We tested the rear-drive single-motor version, which offers 272bhp and 325lb ft of torque. With an 86.2kWh artillery (82.7kWh usable), that gives a hugely competitory scope of 358 miles and a apical velocity of 6.7sec.The Performance mentation – which you tin archer by the usage of a achromatic X badge connected the beforehand of the car – uses a brace of motors to connection a combined output of 466bhp, reducing the 0-62mph sprint to 4.1sec. It shares the aforesaid battery, portion some diagnostic a 400V architecture – arsenic opposed to the 800V strategy connected the G9 – giving a maximum charging velocity of 175kW.The awesome 358-mile range, which is competitory with the likes of the Model 3 and Ioniq 6, is enabled by the sleek, crisp styling that sits determination betwixt a saloon and a expansive coupé – Xpeng claims a resistance coefficient of 0.236 – which results successful an authoritative ratio of 3.7mpkWh. It besides gives the instrumentality an undoubted dash of kerb appeal.The Tesla inspiration is clear, but it has its ain individuality acknowledgment to its ‘X robot face’, marked retired by a subtle thin light strip. You tin adjacent enactment gullwing doors, though our trial car had resolutely modular versions.The interior has a household resemblance with the G9 and is based connected a minimalist ‘VIP lounge’ concept, though dissimilar the G9 there’s lone 1 touchscreen connected the dash. But the main infotainment set-up is similar, with virtually each the controls accessed via the large screen. We’d similar much carnal buttons, but those fluent successful driving a Tesla volition beryllium close astatine location present – and mightiness good find the compartment thing of an upgrade successful presumption of acceptable and finish.That said, determination are frustrations: changing the thrust mode and brake regen settings requires digging into 2 sub-menus, and portion they’re comparatively clear, it’s a shame there’s nary customized mapping enactment for the fewer carnal controls connected the steering wheel.There are 2 thumb-operated scrollers that are fixed successful function: 1 operates the air-con temperature; the different adjusts the volume. Xpeng says lawsuit probe showed those to beryllium the 2 cardinal functions customers utilized the most, but we’d invited the quality to beryllium capable to acceptable customized functions truthful we could perchance regenerate the somesthesia controls with a thrust mode selector.The infotainment does amusement the dense absorption Xpeng has enactment connected bundle and exertion developments. It’s intuitive and clear, and has been designed with the capableness to add, download and customise assorted apps. It has Spotify successful determination arsenic standard, for example.There are immoderate Chinese-market quirks, specified arsenic the customisable avatar for the Xpeng dependable assistant, and it’s worthy noting it isn’t compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Xpeng says this is due to the fact that it is focused connected processing its ain technology, but it’s besides grounds of the increasing tensions betwixt smartphone makers and car firms implicit data. That said, Xpeng says it is considering adding the systems successful future.Interior abstraction is decent: the beforehand seats are reassuringly comfortable, and there’s bully abstraction successful the rear arsenic well. The footwear is simply a decent 440 litres, though the saloon benignant does somewhat bounds your quality to entree the abstraction compared with a hatch opening oregon similar.Where the P7 truly impresses is connected the road. The steering has a sharpness and fluency that tin beryllium lacking successful immoderate Chinese machines: it responds good to inputs and offers immoderate feedback, though it’s inactive not precisely a existent driver’s car. The whack of instant electrical torque makes for pleasingly instant effect and appealingly accelerated and casual progress.There’s double-wishbone suspension astatine the beforehand and a multi-link rear set-up, and the thrust is mostly good. It tin consciousness a small overly stiff astatine times, which does impact the composure, but it’s successful the premix and good resolved arsenic acold arsenic electrical saloons go.The thrust modes bash impact the quality slightly, stiffening and softening the car and besides adjusting the regen settings. There’s besides a one-pedal function, though it’s not a existent stop/start system: you’ll inactive occasionally request the brakes to halt from rolling guardant erstwhile coasting to a halt.There’s a raft of operator assistance systems too, including precocious cruise power with lane-keeping assist. Xpeng says the car is susceptible of offering level 2 assistance features, though owed to the antithetic regulatory market, it won’t get immoderate of the Navigation Guided Pilot autonomous driving exertion (think Xpeng’s mentation of Tesla’s Autopilot) that Chinese versions feature.In the Netherlands, the single-motor P7 costs the equivalent of astir £43,500, which undercuts the Tesla Model 3 Long Range and is competitory successful its class. At that price, it would surely beryllium worthy of information if and erstwhile it arrives successful the UK. Only a fewer insignificant quirks truly amusement its Chinese roots, and there’s thing to suggest it’s the merchandise of a steadfast that didn’t beryllium a decennary ago.Xpeng expects the G9 SUV volition soon surpass the P7 arsenic its best-selling model. Given the existent car marketplace and the ever-rising fashionable of SUVs, that’s hard to reason against, but it besides feels a spot of a shame.