China’s Tesla rival Xpeng sets sights on Europe as it delivers first batch of smart electric cars to Norway
- Xpeng will hand over 100 G3 SUVs to buyers in Norway, the first time that Chinese-made smart EVs will be directly delivered to individual customers in Europe
- Xpeng also plans to launch its P7 electric sports sedan in Europe within the next 12 months
Chinese-made smart electric vehicles are making inroads into Europe as the country’s Tesla challengers eye overseas markets to improve their sales and profitability.
“Xpeng is actively exploring opportunities in other EV-mature markets with supportive government policies, advanced EV infrastructure and high EV awareness,” the company said in a statement on Monday. “Xpeng is also planning to launch its second production model, the P7 electric sports sedan, in Europe within the next 12 months.”
Smart EVs refer to electric battery-powered cars that use technology to enhance navigation, improve in-car entertainment and link up with other cars or mobile devices digitally.
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Inside Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng's factory in Zhaoqing city
The G3 SUV, with a driving range of 520km, features Xpeng’s proprietary XPILOT 2.5 advanced driver assistance system and auto parking function.
In 2019, Chinese EV maker Aiways became the first mainland company to export smart SUVs to Europe. The company delivered 500 of its U5 vehicles under a business-to-business deal to Hertz Corse, a car rental firm in Corsica, Italy.