Xpeng Thinks It Could Be Outselling Ford In Europe By 2030
The Chinese automaker has the Blue Oval in its sights
Xpeng was one of the first Chinese EV startups to enter the ultra-competitive European market, starting sales of the G3 in late 2020 in EV-loving Norway. In the six years since, the brand has sold roughly 60,000 cars across the region, meaning it still firmly remains a small player. That might not be the case for long.
Speaking at the ongoing Paris Motor Show, Xpeng chairman He Xiaopeng has revealed he wants the company to sell 1 million vehicles annually by 2030, with half of them coming from Europe. If Xpeng hits this target, that would place it above Ford, which sold 426,459 cars across the region last year. This would also surpass the 399,783 sales reported by Opel/Vauxhall, the 238,656 cars that Tesla sold, and be roughly in line with the 507,304 cars that Kia sold in Europe. Put simply, this would make Xpeng one of the region's biggest brands.
Xpeng also doesn't plan to rapidly ramp up exports from China to achieve this goal. Instead, Xiaopeng revealed the company will double down on European production. Don't be fooled into thinking it'll just assemble cars in Europe or put together so-called 'knockdown kits.'
Xpeng will soon be building four models in Europe
Instead, Xpeng will partner with a local manufacturer and either establish a new factory in the region or operate out of an existing one. This new facility will focus on "mid-level" vehicles, Xiaopeng told Reuters, and the vehicles will comply with new 'Made in Europe' regulations, which mandate a minimum amount of local content for EVs. In essence, the brand will operate similarly to a traditional European brand, although it'll inevitably still source many of its parts from China, where it still has a significant cost advantage over legacy rivals.
Contract manufacturer Magna Steyr currently builds the Xpeng G6, G9, and P7+ sedan at its factory in Graz, Austria. This site will also be home to the all-new G9L, the company's flagship range-extender and battery-electric SUV. Last week, the G9L passed a production trial at the plant. Xpeng has not said how many G9Ls it plans to build at the site, but that will likely depend on demand.
The G9L is certainly shaping up to be quite a compelling proposition. Priced from €74,600 in Germany, it will be available as a range-extender with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four, an electric motor, and a 63-kWh battery, producing a combined 577 horsepower and 513 pound-feet (695 Nm) of torque. Xpeng has also confirmed two all-electric versions, available with a 91.9-kWh battery in base form and a 110-kWh pack in the flagship model. This range-topping version will also feature two electric motors, combining to produce 577 horsepower and 513 pound-feet (695 Nm) of torque.
