Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng Inc (小鵬) unveiled details of new products and features, including an assisted driving system, a faster charging infrastructure and a flying car, as it signaled its intent to expand from its auto-manufacturing roots.
The Guangzhou-based company also launched the prototype of a rideable robot horse at its so-called “Tech Day.” Xpeng said 60 percent of its users have paid for the assisted-driving feature, called the navigation-guided pilot function, which is being used on highways.
“Our exploration of more efficient, safer, carbon-neutral mobility solutions goes far beyond just smart EVs, and is the cornerstone of our long-term competitive advantages,” chairman He Xiaopeng (何小鵬) said yesterday.
He added that the new energy vehicle penetration rate should reach 50 percent by 2025.
An upgraded version of Xpeng’s assisted-driving feature known as XPILOT 3.5 is to navigate drivers in cities next year, said Wu Xinzhou (吳新宙), vice president of Xpeng’s autonomous driving unit, although an actual rollout depends on the product’s development and local regulations. The company also plans to partner with others to explore robo-taxi operations that would also start next year.
An advanced point-to-point driver assistance program known as XPILOT 4.0 is planned for rollout in the first half of 2023, and is to be equipped on Xpeng’s electric sports utility vehicle.
Xpeng also presented a road map for its comprehensive charging network, which includes a mass-produced silicon carbide high-voltage fast charging platform and a geographically expanded charging facility deployment.
The company also showed designs for a low-altitude flying car developed by its affiliate HT Aero (小鵬匯天), which raised more than US$500 million and is expected to start mass production in 2024.
The prototype of a robot horse, equipped with bionic senses and multi-mode recognition technologies, is also part of Xpeng’s product lineup.
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