China’s Xpeng Motors on Aug. 8 officially released images and details of its first extended-range hybrid car (EREV), which turns out to be a new variant of its X9 multi-purpose vehicle and is likely to feature an all-electric range much longer than existing offerings.
Why it matters: The model could be a strong pillar of Xpeng’s sales growth plan this year, marking the company’s move from being a purely electric vehicle maker to an established manufacturer with a diversified lineup of cars using various energy sources.
- Xpeng expects hybrid cars to accelerate its expansion to overseas markets such as Europe, where EV adoption has stalled and even declined in some places compared with China. Sales of Xpeng’s first hybrid EV will start in China before a roll out later in the rest of the world, chief executive He Xiaopeng told reporters at the company’s AI tech day event last October.
Details: Xpeng’s first hybrid model, the X9, will go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year, with more than 1,000 vehicles already tested in 20 countries worldwide, He said on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo. He also posted an image showing a tested X9 that bears the number 450 on its side, raising speculation that the car will likely offer at least 450 kilometers (280 miles) of all-electric range.
- He announced the plan on the same day when the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), China’s industry regulator, released the car’s registration filings for public review. The seven-seat van is powered by an affordable iron-based lithium-ion battery pack from China’s CALB, as well as a small petrol generator, or an internal combustion range extender, from Harbin Dongan Auto Engine, which also supplies engines to Li Auto.
- Xpeng Motors unveiled its extended-range hybrid technology in October 2024, saying it would allow a car to travel 1,400 km on a full tank plus full charge, with an electric-only range of 430 km. By comparison, Li Auto and Huawei-backed Aito’s full-size crossovers, the L9 and M9, travel less than 300 km in all-electric mode, respectively. The range for Zeekr’s upcoming hybrid sports utility vehicle, the 9X, is touted as 380 km.
Context: China’s retail sales of all-electric vehicles grew 22.6% year-on-year to nearly 5.2 million units last year, while the numbers of plug-in hybrids and EREVs increased 76.3% and 78.7%, respectively, according to figures published by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
- Xpeng is planning to roll out multiple EREVs, including a new variant of its G9 SUV, as well as an entry-level model with an expected price tag of less than RMB 150,000 ($20,880), according to a report by local media publication AutoPix on July 2. The company delivered 233,906 cars from January to July, which is more than triple the figure of a year earlier. It aims to sell 380,000 cars in 2025.
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