Xpeng stirs up rivalry with BYD, Li Auto in extended-range hybrid car market
Company unveiled Kunpeng, a new charging system for hybrid cars, touted as the longest range extender system in the industry
Xpeng Motors is stirring up competition in China’s electric vehicle (EV) market by introducing a hybrid system to take on rivals such as Li Auto and Zeekr, following a shift in consumer preference to cheaper cars with extended driving range.
The company unveiled a new extended range charging system for its EVs, known as Kunpeng Super Electric System, during its corporate AI Day on Wednesday in Guangzhou, its operational base in southern Guangdong province.
Kunpeng will be the new benchmark in the industry capable of achieving more than 1,400km and a pure- electric range of 430km, Xpeng claimed, suggesting the carmaker will be producing hybrid models in the near future to complement its current all-electric line-up.
“The Kunpeng system will accelerate Xpeng’s globalisation process by addressing the limitations of charging infrastructure overseas,” founder and CEO He Xiaopeng said at the event. “We need to be prepared for the challenges.”
The range-extended system will make Xpeng’s AI-powered vehicles available in more regions globally to meet climate and infrastructure conditions, the CEO said. The firm plans to expand to around 60 countries by end-2025 and set up over 300 overseas sales and services centres, he added on Wednesday.
Extended-range EVs (EREVs) are a type of plug-in hybrid car, equipped with a small internal combustion engine which generates additional power to charge the battery when needed. The hybrids can also be charged directly using a power cable.
