Source: Zhiche Technology

On November 6, during the Xpeng AI Technology Day event, He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of Xpeng Motors, delivered a speech announcing that Xpeng Motors has set a clear direction for the next ten years, aiming to become a global AI automotive company, "all in AI." "Xpeng Motors will start in Europe, technology-oriented, bringing China's intelligence to the world."

During his passionate three-hour speech, Mr. He Xiaopeng unveiled Xpeng's layout in the AI field, including cutting-edge technologies such as AI cars, AI robots, and flying cars. He also showcased five black technologies: extended-range technology, Turing chip, flying car, AI operating system, and advanced intelligent driving system.

Faced with the ups and downs of car manufacturing over the past decade, He Xiaopeng said, "Xpeng Motors has been swimming in a 'sea of blood' and will continue to swim until the sea turns blue."

In the first three quarters of 2024, Xpeng Motors remained at the low end of the new force automakers, struggling with a long-term market downturn.

To address this situation, Xpeng Motors has taken a proactive step to integrate intelligent technology into models priced at around 150,000 yuan. The overwhelming demand for MONA has given Xpeng Motors confidence, energized its brand image, and significantly improved its performance.

Subsequently, at the Paris Motor Show in October, the world's first AI car, Xpeng P7+, shone brightly. Orders surpassed 30,000 units within two hours of its debut at the show, setting a new record for Xpeng Motors' sales growth rate.

Xpeng Motors does not want to miss the "windfall" opportunity and is going "all in" on AI. Changing its previously unassuming marketing image, Xpeng Motors made a high-profile appearance through the "Xpeng AI Technology Day" and "Xpeng P7+ Launch Event," unveiling products with distinctive features.

For Xpeng Motors, a decisive victory is urgently needed to reverse the current unfavorable situation.

Aiming for L4 autonomous driving

Excitingly, He Xiaopeng officially announced their independently developed AI chip, Turing. This chip is a global first and can be applied to AI cars, AI robots, and flying cars.

The Xpeng Turing AI chip is tailor-made for large AI models, integrating two self-developed neural processing units (NPU) and two independent image signal processors (ISP), and adopting a domain-specific architecture (DSA) optimized for neural networks. The chip is equipped with a 40-core processor, providing powerful computing capabilities for large AI models and supporting the operation of large models with up to 30B parameters locally.

The Xpeng Turing AI chip is designed for L4 autonomous driving, achieving the efficiency of "one chip equals three" compared to mainstream chips. To meet the safety requirements of L4 autonomous driving, the "Xpeng Turing" chip also features an independent safety island for real-time, blind-spot-free safety detection throughout the vehicle.

In October, Xpeng successfully implemented intelligent driving functions on the Turing chip. "Through deep customization, the computing power of the Turing chip can be fully utilized, and future AI cars will be equipped with at least three Turing chips."

Currently, there are three mainstream end-to-end development routes in the industry: one is the "large model" approach, which stacks a large number of small, rule-based models; the second is the "vehicle-end large model"; and the third is the cloud-based large model (foundation model). From the perspective of the final outcome of intelligent driving competition, laying out cloud-based large models is the key to victory.

The Xpeng Turing AI intelligent driving system is fully self-developed, encompassing the cloud, software, and hardware, including cloud-based large models, vehicle-end large models, AI chips developed for large models, and the underlying architecture developed for large models.

The parameter count of the Xpeng cloud-based large model will be up to 80 times that of the vehicle-end model. Through training with a large number of parameters, it can solve the long-tail problem in intelligent driving to the greatest extent possible, covering more driving scenarios. Currently, the training efficiency of the Xpeng cloud-based large model has been improved by 2.6 times, and it is expected that by 2025, the computing power of the Xpeng cloud will exceed 10 EFlops.

It is particularly noteworthy that the Xpeng cloud-based large model shares the same training framework as Open AI, equivalent to real-time training of the cloud-based large model with 80 times the human brain capacity. By distilling the cloud-based large model to the vehicle end, Xpeng Motors effectively increases the upper limit of the vehicle-end large model, allowing users to enjoy an intelligent driving experience with "iterations every two days" on average.

The emergence of the AI large model has not only revolutionized the intelligent driving industry but also sparked a revolution in intelligent cockpit interaction. He Xiaopeng stated that AI is leading another round of innovation in intelligent cockpits, redefining them.

Xpeng Motors proudly launched the Xpeng Tianji AIOS. Unlike traditional cockpit architectures, the Xpeng Tianji AIOS is based on the self-developed Turing AI chip, driven by two chips simultaneously, redefining the cockpit system architecture.

The Tianji AIOS launched by Xpeng Motors redefines the cockpit system architecture, incorporating capabilities similar to "GPT-4o" (where "o" stands for omni, meaning all-around) into intelligent cockpits. The AI operating system (AIOS) is expected to become a standard configuration for future AI cars. It is foreseeable that future intelligent cockpits will be more akin to human butlers, not only proactively providing services but also capable of thinking.

He Xiaopeng revealed that Xpeng is striving to achieve an L3+ intelligent driving experience within 18 months. He emphasized not to believe that AI can disrupt life overnight; it must progress gradually and incrementally.

Regarding the progress of L4 intelligent driving, first, Xpeng Motors' steer-by-wire system will make the steering wheel optional in the future, allowing users to hide or use it as needed. Second, Xpeng Motors plans to launch the L4-level Ultra model, which will be developed for the global market and aimed at supporting robotaxi services.

In the current new energy vehicle market, each manufacturer has unique labels and positioning. What are Xpeng Motors' labels? "Leading in AI intelligent driving" and "Driven by AI technology." He Xiaopeng believes that Xpeng Motors may be the domestic automaker that places the highest emphasis on AI technology and is one of the earliest to achieve mass production of large models.

The entire century-old automotive industry is undergoing an intelligent transformation led by AI, with AI as the latest driving force. Traditional competitive advantages are no longer sufficient to support the future development of automakers. In the future, automakers must rely on new high grounds and support points, leveraging AI to drive intelligent development and achieve strategic transformation, so that Xpeng Motors can win the future.

Xpeng P7+, a stunning turnaround

Officially known as the "world's first AI car," Xpeng P7+ marks the beginning of Xpeng Motors' new decade in AI cars. This time, Xpeng offers standard AI high-level intelligent driving across all models, whether the Max version or the Pro version, without additional options, fees, or subscription services, demonstrating sincerity.

With its superior intelligent driving performance and surprisingly affordable price, Xpeng P7+ quickly gained popularity.

On November 7, just 12 minutes after the launch of the world's first AI car, Xpeng P7+, orders surpassed 10,000 units.

"Surrounded by fierce competition," Xpeng Motors has successfully broken through the "life-or-death line" of 200,000 yuan, emerging victorious. Priced between 186,800 and 218,800 yuan, Xpeng P7+ is available in three configurations: Limited Edition Max, Ultra-Long Range Max, and Long Range Max. This pricing strategy firmly establishes Xpeng's position in the 200,000-yuan market segment.

Following the success of the MONA M03 in capturing the market below 150,000 yuan with its affordable pricing strategy, Xpeng P7+ carries the expectation of becoming another "hit" model. Xpeng Motors has endowed the new P7+ with its "highest level of intelligent driving," aiming to defend its position in the "super red ocean" of the 200,000-yuan pure electric sedan market.

Data shows that Xpeng P7+'s pre-orders broke the record set by Xpeng MONA on October 31. Orders exceeded 30,000 units within two hours of the Paris Motor Show's opening. In the three hours after its launch, orders for Xpeng P7+ surpassed 31,528 units.

In fact, public data reveals that in the first three quarters of 2024, Xpeng Motors ranked among the top-selling Chinese high-end pure electric vehicle brands in the European market, particularly in Denmark and Norway. Currently, Xpeng Motors is present in 30 countries and regions worldwide, with 145 overseas after-sales service outlets, and plans to expand to 60 countries and regions next year.

Xpeng P7+ fully utilizes end-to-end large models, abandoning lidar and adopting an AI Eagle Eye Vision intelligent driving solution across all models. Before Tesla's FSD enters China in the first quarter of next year, Xpeng Motors can be said to have seized the discourse power in the intelligent driving field. Compared to traditional lidar solutions, Xpeng's pure vision intelligent driving function significantly improves perception and recognition speed while reducing the cost per vehicle, giving Xpeng P7+ a price advantage.

Xpeng Motors' annual sales volume in 2024 was at the lower end, with 98,561 vehicles delivered in the first three quarters, only 35.2% of the annual sales target of 280,000 vehicles. Xpeng Motors still faces severe challenges. To achieve its annual sales target, Xpeng needs to deliver over 60,000 vehicles per month, a daunting task that undoubtedly falls on MONA M03 and P7+.

He Xiaopeng, the founder of Xpeng Motors, stated that P7+ will definitely become another hit model. To enable customers to take delivery of their cars sooner, the factory has begun preparing production capacity in advance.

With the overwhelming popularity of Xpeng P7+, delivery has become a hurdle that Xpeng Motors must overcome. Crossing this hurdle is both a "sweet worry" for Xpeng at this moment and a prerequisite test for creating another representative product following MONA M03.

As He Xiaopeng said, companies that want to excel in AI need ample resources; otherwise, they will surely lose.

Xpeng Motors announces range extension plan

Currently, extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) are rapidly rising in popularity, attracting more and more domestic automakers to abandon their focus on pure electric development and join the ranks of EREVs due to their advantages in solving range anxiety, simplifying vehicle system complexity, and reducing manufacturing costs. Currently, pure electric brands such as GAC Aion, Avita, Zeekr, and IM Motors have announced plans to launch their own EREV models.

On November 6, Xpeng Motors unveiled the Kunpeng Super Electric System, with "Kun" representing the super range extension system and "Peng" representing the pure electric system. Xpeng Motors officially entered the EREV market.

The first model will have a comprehensive driving range exceeding 1,400 kilometers, with a pure electric range of approximately 430 kilometers. Additionally, the model will be equipped with an 800V ultra-fast charging platform and support 5C ultra-fast charging technology. These specifications undoubtedly provide consumers with a longer driving experience, significantly reducing charging time, and offering a more convenient charging experience.

The working principle of EREVs is based on pure electric vehicles, supplemented by an internal combustion engine for power generation. The electricity generated by this internal combustion engine is dedicated to driving the electric motor or charging the power battery. Due to its relatively low technical difficulty, it is even referred to as a "stripped-down" version of plug-in hybrids. However, compared to pure electric vehicles, its ability to run on both gasoline and electricity can effectively alleviate range anxiety for car owners.

Nevertheless, EREVs still face some technical challenges, including loud range extender noise, reduced power performance and increased fuel consumption when the battery is depleted, smaller battery capacity, and slower charging speeds. Additionally, the engine and transmission, as core components of fuel vehicles, present technical challenges that many new automakers find difficult to overcome in the short term. From a user experience perspective, having an engine means additional maintenance items, including air filters, engine oil, and oil filters.

At the conference, He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of Xpeng Motors, stated that to enter the global market, it is necessary to explore new energy replenishment methods, including range-extended hybrid technology. He revealed that Xpeng Motors has had in-depth discussions on the future development direction of hybrid vehicles (including range-extended models) multiple times and believes that merely manufacturing a traditional range-extended electric vehicle is no longer practically meaningful. Therefore, in addition to pursuing a longer pure electric driving range, they are also developing an ultra-quiet engine, aiming to achieve a noise level only slightly higher than that of an electric motor when the range extender engine starts.

Public data shows that in the first nine months of this year, the cumulative retail sales of plug-in hybrid models, including range extenders, in China surged by 78% year-on-year, with the proportion of plug-in hybrid models increasing significantly from 19.8% at the end of 2019 to 42.2% at the end of September this year. This data indicates that the market potential for EREVs is enormous, and public acceptance of this technological route is also increasing.

After successfully betting on the extended-range market, Li Auto achieved its first annual profit in 2023, becoming the third new energy vehicle company globally to turn a profit after Tesla and BYD. Extended-range technology has surpassed the label of "transitional technology" and become a "suitable technology" actively adopted by the market, expected to coexist with pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles for a long time.

Regarding whether XPeng will join the extended-range electric vehicle market, He Xiaopeng said that building another ordinary extended-range vehicle is no longer meaningful. At XPeng Tech Day on November 16, XPeng's Kunpeng Super Electric System was officially launched. Among them, Kun represents the super extended-range system, utilizing the next-generation extended-range technology, while Peng represents XPeng's globally leading pure electric system. The Kunpeng Super Electric System will be a crucial element in accelerating the process of globalization, addressing the shortcomings of foreign energy replenishment systems and preparing for different countries and regions by providing more convenient and versatile energy replenishment solutions.

He Xiaopeng predicts that elimination rounds may occur within the industry in 2026 and 2027. However, these elimination rounds do not represent qualification rounds; there are still many years of competition in automotive technology and globalization in China, far from a time to relax.

For XPeng, to turn the situation around and achieve a comeback, it must play its strong cards well to have a chance to win. Intelligence and extended range are both crucial. We look forward to XPeng launching an extended-range hybrid vehicle with a range exceeding 400 kilometers and equipped with 5C super-fast charging technology.

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