Xpeng Motors launches the P5 sedan at an occasion in Guangzhou, China on April 14, 2021. The P5 is Xpeng’s third manufacturing mannequin and options so-called Lidar expertise.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
Xpeng has began taking pre-orders on its mass market P5 electrical sedan in 4 European nations because the Chinese language rival to Tesla continues its aggressive worldwide growth.
The P5, which was first revealed nearly a year ago in China, might be reserved by prospects in Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden from Thursday, by way of Xpeng’s cellular app and web site.
Xpeng has been pushing into Europe during the last yr. In August, it began shipments of its flagship P7 sedan to Norway, its first worldwide market.
Final month, the Guangzhou-headquartered firm opened its first self-operated store outside of China within the Swedish capital of Stockholm. On Thursday, Xpeng mentioned it plans to open one other retailer within the Netherlands.
The European model of the P5 is barely completely different to the one launched in China. Firstly, it will likely be outfitted with Xpilot 2.5, Xpeng’s superior driver-assistance system, or ADAS. This refers to a driving software program system with some autonomous options however the place a driver continues to be required. Xpilot 2.5 is a slightly older version of the software than what the corporate is rolling out to prospects in China this yr.
Xpeng’s European P5 can even not have Lidar expertise, which stands for Gentle Detection and Ranging. Lidar methods will help a automotive measure distance and create a 3 dimensional illustration of the car’s environment. Lidar is a key expertise behind extra superior autonomous options. Nevertheless, Xpilot 2.5 doesn’t require Lidar to work.
Xpeng has tried to distinguish from its rivals by specializing in in-house developed autonomous driving options and different expertise. It’s hoping these options might be engaging to European customers because the shift towards electrical autos continues and competitors ramps up.
