BYD, one of the EV giants in China, has now surpassed Tesla in quarterly sales. Volkswagen, once the largest automaker for the Chinese market, is now working with Chinese EV manufacturer XPENG to stay competitive in the market. So when did Chinese cars get so good?
A young American named Jason visited the smart vehicle section of the second China International Supply Chain Expo, held in Beijing from Nov. 26 to 30, and tried to find out the secret behind Chinese automakers' success. The expo showcases not only automakers, but also the entire supply chain, from parts suppliers to final producers.
One of the star products on display at the Expo was the XPENG P7+, a new electric sedan launched just three weeks ago. Remarkably, the P7+ sold over 30,000 units in less than two hours after its launch.
According to an XPENG representative at the Expo, the P7+ is a spacious, full-size vehicle measuring over 5 meters in length. Both the front and rear seats are equipped with ventilation, heating and massage functions. The car also features a 50W wireless fast car charger with two ports for convenient phone charging.
The P7+ is equipped with XPENG's advanced camera-based autopilot system, which enables autonomous driving in Chinese cities — drivers can simply enter a destination and the car will navigate itself. This model also supports multiple modes of self-parking. But the exhibition told Jason that despite the driving assistant, he should always be alert while driving.
The American visitor also discovered that despite these advanced features, the P7+ is competitively priced, starting at ¥186,800 with a driving range of 615 kilometers on a single charge.
The P7+ is integrated with BOSCH's next-generation integrated braking system and occupant safety system, which will also be on display at the show. According to Bosch, the P7+'s occupant safety system combines brake booster and ESP® into one unit, which not only provides powerful performance, but also achieves efficient energy recovery, which means better range and reduced CO2 emissions. Baosteel showcased a body-in-white using advanced X-GPa steel for strength, safety and lightweight design, which is also used in the XPENG P7+. Rio Tinto supplies the iron ore for the high quality steel. The global mining company's booth shows different types of ore and how they are mined. The staff told Jason that the company is happy to supply to the EV industry.
According to the XPENG representative, the P7+ benefits from China's efficient design and R&D processes, which focus on cost optimization through innovation. Competitive pricing is also made possible by strong partnerships with domestic and international suppliers who provide the materials and components that make these high-tech features possible.