XPeng P7 Sedan — First Impression

After a yr of preparations, XPeng is able to begin deliveries of its autos in Europe. Initially, there was a cautious begin in Norway with the XPeng P7 sedan and the XPeng G9 SUV. Now, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg are subsequent. The remainder of Europe will comply with, however in every nation, a gross sales and repair infrastructure have to be organized.

To arrange the launch, plenty of journalists from these international locations have been invited to Amsterdam, the European centre of XPeng logistics, to get acquainted with the fashions for the European markets. XPeng is beginning with its prime fashions, the SUV G9 and the sedan P7. The corporate has smaller fashions accessible on the Chinese language market as properly, and new fashions on a model new platform are in improvement.

Table of Contents

XPeng P7 Intro

Like many others, XPeng has selected a toolbox structure, like VW’s MEB. It’s referred to as the “Sensible Electrical Platform Structure,” SEPA2.0. This permits a far larger vary of variants than a traditional platform with a set chassis. The primary mannequin on this new platform, the G6 SUV, was proven on the current Shanghai Auto Present.

What’s now supplied in Europe are the most recent fashions of the primary era of BEVs designed by the corporate. Every mannequin did have clear enhancements over the earlier one. The P7 nonetheless has a 400V powertrain structure, whereas the G9 is already on 800V. In addition to technical variations the motive force will hardly discover, a 400V structure has a sensible max charging capability of 175 kW and an 800V structure that may cost with 350kW (and even 400kW with some chargers).

The day began for me, after the espresso and tour of the power, with a take a look at drive of the G9 in the direction of our lunch vacation spot. That assessment has its personal article. After the lunch, a P7 was assigned to me.

Description of the P7

The P7 is a pleasant, massive sedan within the E-segment. It’s too massive for my style, however that’s not the automotive’s fault. It isn’t solely massive, with the legroom within the again for a working government, but in addition luxurious. The seats haven’t simply heating, but in addition a therapeutic massage operate. It’s after all accessible to the chief within the again, not only for the chauffeur within the entrance and the assistant using shotgun.

As with all fashionable electrical vehicles, it has plenty of driving modes. They’re sporty, regular, eco, and one-pedal. The present crop of totally electrical vehicles is so good at driving that there’s nothing to check in regular every day site visitors. For individuals who wish to know the way good it’s at taking a nook at velocity, go to a race circuit. The capacities are far exterior what might be examined on public roads in a protected manner.

The excellence these days is on the Superior Driver Help Programs (ADAS). Essentially the most used are one-pedal-driving and cruise-control. Each needs to be trimmed to the motive force’s style. Different essential options are blind-spot warning, lane protecting help, driver consideration, beside plenty of security options that I hope by no means to check.

For actually testing all of the ADAS capabilities, the test-drive of about 2 hours was too brief. I did expertise they labored, I did really feel it enhanced my security and made driving simpler. However I couldn’t take a look at all or attempt to tune them to my liking and driving fashion. I’ll ask for an extended testing interval later this yr.

The P7 is obtainable in three variations. There’s a lengthy vary model, a efficiency one, and a WOW, exhibit, impress the ladies/guys model with wing doorways. There was not a winged automotive accessible for us journalists, and personally I don’t see the distinction between normal efficiency and further efficiency. Each have extra energy below the hood than is usable in regular site visitors.

Specs at EV-Database.org for the XPeng P7:

Battery — 82.7 kWh with about 500 km/311 miles of vary on a full cost.
Motor — 202 kW and 440 Nm rear-wheel drive. (Lengthy Vary)
Motor — 348 kW and 757 Nm all-wheel drive. (Winged, Efficiency)
Charging — 175 kW DC and 11 kW AC.
Curb Weight — 2,020 kg / 4,453 lb) Lengthy Vary
Curb Weight — 2,140 kg/4,718 lb Efficiency
Curb Weight — 2,180 kg/4,806 lb Winged Efficiency
Towing not permitted
Euro NCAP not but examined
Wheelbase (2998mm/118”)
Size * Width * Top — (4888mm/192”) * (1896mm/74.6”) * (1450mm/57.1”)

Observations in regards to the P7

Let me begin with the seats. They don’t seem to be good; they’re nice. They’re electrically positioned and adjusted in any manner the motive force or passenger likes. They provide not solely heating but in addition a therapeutic massage operate. It was defined to me as a method to hold me awake whereas driving, however it will possible put me to sleep. It is vitally stress-free. The great colour and end additionally deserves a point out. The steering wheel might be adjusted with a lever beneath the console, identical to almost each different steering wheel.

Even when doing a take a look at drive, bear in mind to save lots of the configuration of your seat, as a result of the seat will withdraw backwards to make it simpler so that you can get out of the automotive. If not saved, it’s important to place the seat once more. Maybe there’s a operate to recall the final place, however it’s not automated and I didn’t search for it.

I didn’t use the parking help. Maybe I ought to have, as a result of I’m turning into horrible at parking, however when parking backwards, the positioning mirrors reposition downwards to see the road and different vehicles. Good contact. I typically do it manually, however then I’ve to place them again once more when driving regular.

The again seat head rests block the view within the rear-view mirror only a bit. When overtaking, I take advantage of the rearview mirror to test the space to the automotive I simply handed. Utilizing the positioning mirrors could make you misjudge the space, as a result of they aren’t flat however convex. Maybe I ought to have appeared for a digital rear view mirror operate. With the variety of sensors and cameras protecting observe of the environment of the automotive, it needs to be accessible.

Whereas the rear bench/seats are formally vast sufficient for 3 adults, I’ll invite no one for a protracted drive sitting on the middle place — a minimum of not with my kind of vast physique. It’s extra a bridge between the 2 seating positions than a 3rd seating place. It’s tougher and has much less leg room and place in your ft.

An government sitting within the again and having a nap or working is unlikely to complain in regards to the leg room. And the seats are heated identical to within the entrance. The cupholders and USB plugs are what you possibly can anticipate from a automotive on this class.

All in all, it’s an important cabin with an important sound system … that I didn’t take a look at. My ears aren’t working correctly anymore, and with out my listening to aids, I’ve problem following a dialog. I adore it when it’s silent in a automotive, and the P7 has sufficient soundproofing to make it comfy for me. Even half deaf, many vehicles have an excessive amount of street and driving noise within the cabin to my liking.

Going all the way in which to the rear of the automotive, the trunk was an enormous as you could anticipate of a automotive this dimension.

When driving, I hardly discover the remainder of the cabin, however I’m very a lot involved with the consumer interface. With fashionable electrical vehicles, there’s a new manner of designing the way in which drivers work together with the automobile. There’s a massive touchscreen, and there are hardly any bodily knobs and switches in any respect. Not one of the best interface for somebody like me who likes to maintain his eyes on the street and work together with the automotive by contact. It turns into worse if you want studying glasses for the display however can’t have glasses on when driving.

The consumer interface just isn’t as unhealthy as some fashionable vehicles, however I’d recognize extra that I can do by contact with out the necessity to take a look at the display, deciphering complicated menu buildings. To not point out that my previous parchment pores and skin is usually not observed by the touchscreen.

Managing a automotive via a touchscreen is difficult. Don’t begin about getting used to it — I’ve a automotive with a contact display, and touchscreens have been the explanation I stayed with my Nokia 3310 till having a battery electrical automotive compelled me to transition. I now have a Samsung S21 5G top-of-the-line mannequin, not an affordable one thing with third fee elements, and after over three years with a smartphone, I nonetheless suppose the Nokia 3310 was a greater instrument to make voice calls.

Good touchscreens are OK when configuring the automotive when parked and having the guide in your knees. For something that may (or must) be completed whereas driving, I feel bodily knobs and switches are superior.

And now the ADAS suite:

Adaptive Cruise Management
Automated Pace limiter
Adaptive Flip Management?
Ahead Distance Monitor
Ahead Collision Warning
Auto Emergency Braking
Site visitors Signal Recognition
Pace Assistant System?
Clever Excessive Beam
Blind Spot Detection
Lively Lane Change
Lane Coordination Management?
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Preserve Help
Enhanced Lane Preserve
Rear Collision Warning
Rear Cross Site visitors Help
Door Open Warning
Autonomous Parking
Driver State Monitoring
Parking help with 360° digital camera

I didn’t take a look at all of those. To be sincere, I didn’t discover or contact most of those.

The motive force state monitoring was in all probability the supply of repeated warnings to concentrate to the street, particularly once I was targeting troublesome driving conditions. There was a voice commenting on my driving, a sound sign, and my seatbelt was tightened a number of instances. If I used to be falling asleep, very efficient intervention. On this drive, it was a distraction.

I used adaptive cruise management (ACC) to drive about 100 kilometers on 100 km/h highways and 80 km/h roads. Rush hour was simply beginning, and plenty of different drivers didn’t just like the relaxed manner of driving of the ACC. I feel the ACC was configured for a driving atmosphere with a keep-your-lane system. In Europe, we now have a keep-to-the-right regulation. This creates completely different driving habits that have been dealt with sub-optimally.

Lane hold was good. Site visitors signal recognition labored, however when there was a velocity restrict for an off-ramp, it utilized it to the principle street, warning me I used to be driving too quick.

All in all, the XPeng P7 is a superb automotive. It wants some tuning to the idiosyncrasies of Dutch (European) driving. However with over-the-air (OTA) updates doable, it’ll possible get lots higher over time.

For these driving loads of kilometers professionally, usually exterior rush hour, the value and vary will make this a really engaging automotive. I can see loads of taxi corporations changing their Mercedes E-Class diesels (now the most well-liked cab in some European international locations) with this automotive. The combo of luxurious, vary, and worth is excellent. The Mercedes EQE sedan lacks leg room and head room within the rear seats for ultimate use as a taxi cab. The EQE SUV does provide extra, however is in one other worth class.

Rereading what I’ve written, it is extremely important and doesn’t replicate my enthusiasm for this automotive. It’s a mistake I typically make when discussing the standard, and professionals and cons, of a product. Jack Scarlett of Fully Charged voices how I really feel in regards to the P7 much better than I can do myself. His video is value your time.

All photographs by Maarten Vinkhuyzen or XPeng.

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