XPeng (XPEV) unveils P7+ sedan as ‘world’s first AI car,’ initial deliveries to begin in November

XPeng Motors has officially unveiled its new P7+ BEV sedan, the first of its lineup to ditch LiDAR sensors in favor of pure vision cameras, similar to Tesla. XPeng is hailing the P7+ as the “world’s first AI car,” which utilizes the technology across several features within the sedan.

The P7+ is a new AI-centric evolution of XPeng Motors’ ($XPEV) flagship sedan, the P7, which we got a chance to test drive back in 2022. That original model saw a refresh in its own right in February of 2023, as the BEV made its way over to new markets in Europe alongside the G9 SUV.

The incoming P7+ variant has been on Electrek’s radar since rumors began to swirl that the Chinese automaker was considering a model without LiDAR sensors and, instead, prioritized pure vision cameras, similar to Tesla’s self-driving technology.

Spy images from February 2024 showed a new camouflaged model being tested without the popular ADAS sensors, but it was not confirmed at the time which XPeng BEV that was. It was simply codenamed the “F57.”

This past July, XPeng Motors confirmed the BEV would be called the P7+ and would, in fact, operate without LiDAR. Details were light, but XPeng shared that the sedan would debut at over 5 meters (16.4 feet) long and come loaded with advanced technology, including pure vision cameras.

During an event held in Shenzen, China, earlier today, XPeng officially unveiled the P7+ and shared details of said technology, as well as when orders and initial deliveries are scheduled to begin.

Throughout the live event, XPeng Motors posted consistent updates about the P7+ on its Weibo page, sharing many of the specs and advanced technologies it has been equipped with. Its makers describe the P7+ as a new “three-in-one species” that offers the posture of a coupe, the space of an SUV, and the comfort of an MPV, all complimented by luxury executive-level interiors.

The new all-electric sedan measures a length, width, and height of 5,056 mm, 1,937 mm, and 1,512 mm, respectively, with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. That’s a bit larger than its P7i sibling in every direction. Customers will be able to choose from two different LFP battery packs offering capacities of 60.7 kWh and 76.3 kWh that translate to (CLTC) ranges of 620 km (385 miles) and 710 km (441 miles), respectively.

XPeng states that the P7+’s exterior was optimized for aerodynamics. It achieves a drag coefficient of Cd 0.206 and consumes as little as 11.6 kWh of power per 100 km (62 miles). During the live event, the automaker demonstrated that the P7+’s interior can hold 33 20-inch suitcases, hailing it as the largest cargo space (2,221 total liters) of any vehicle in its class under RMB 300,000 ($42,370).

In terms of pure vision, XPeng shared more details of the new approach to ADAS and self-driving, calling its technology “Eagle Eye.” The automaker relayed that its camera sensors collect visual information more accurately and clearly than traditional cameras and can scope out an area as large as 1.8 football fields. XPeng also stated that its Eagle Eye advanced cameras are limited by city or road conditions and have “door-to-door” and “parking space-to-parking space” intelligent driving capabilities.

XPeng said the P7+ will utilize AI across several of its core systems, including ADAS and smart driving, power usage, energy control, and thermal management. The automaker hasn’t shared official pricing for the sedan’s variants yet but mentioned the RMB 300,000 price point several times during the event.

We expect to see official pricing in November when XPeng plans to launch the P7+ in China, followed by initial deliveries shortly thereafter. Pre-sales will begin during the Paris Auto Show on October 14, 2024.