The electric vehicle maker is expanding overseas despite growing political challenges.
The international versions of XPeng's G9 and P7 debuted at the Munich Auto Show, September 4, 2023. Credit: XPeng via Weibo
Amid China’s increasingly crowded electric vehicle market, Guangzhou-based XPeng Motors has stood out in recent years with its goal of building the most intelligent vehicles with the most powerful software. Occasionally dismissed as a Tesla copycat, XPeng is now speeding ahead with plans to expand overseas.
Earlier this month, XPeng joined other Chinese EV companies at Europe’s largest auto show in September to promote its vehicles. “Appropriately enough, it was held at the former Munich airport,” says Matthias Schmidt, founder of Schmidt Automotive Research. “It's like China being in a holding pattern over Europe for a long period now. They’re kind of on their final approach to Europe and that was evident at the show.”
This week, The Wire profiles XPeng, and assesses its competitive position in China’s EV scene, as well as its vulnerability to the EU’s recently announced anti-subsidy investigation.
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