Earlier this year, Xpeng made a significant mark with the launch of the Mona M03. Early indications suggest that their upcoming P7+ in Guangzhou will continue this success. Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October, the P7+ electric vehicle received an astonishing 31,528 orders on its November launch day. These two models share certain similarities. Both are liftbacks rather than traditional saloons, yet they offer generous space. For the P7+, it means having 725 litres of boot space that expands to 2,221 litres when the seats are folded down, enough to accommodate 33 20-inch suitcases.

The P7+'s Bold Move in Driving Assistance

The P7+ made waves by abandoning lidar sensors for its driving-assistance features and opting for a camera-based, AI-powered system. This is particularly notable as Xpeng was the first to mass-produce a lidar-equipped car, the P5. Lidar sensors use lasers to determine distances and object shapes. The P7+ comes in only two versions along with a limited edition, all of which are Max versions. Thanks to Xpeng's new AI Hawkeye system, they all possess equivalent capabilities to lidar-equipped cars.

Comparison with Previous Driving Assistance Systems

Last year, the author had mixed experiences with Xpeng's XNGP system for urban driving assistance. It performed notably worse in Guangzhou compared to Shanghai. However, since then, the system has evolved and is no longer reliant on high-precision mapping. This shows Xpeng's continuous efforts in improving and adapting their driving assistance technologies.

Benefits and Implications of the New System

The switch to a camera-based AI system brings several benefits. It likely leads to cost savings and potentially more reliable performance in various driving conditions. It also indicates Xpeng's confidence in their AI capabilities. This move could set a new standard in the electric vehicle industry, showing that advanced driving assistance can be achieved without relying solely on lidar sensors. It opens up possibilities for further innovation and development in this area.