Let’s start with the obvious: In the German market, the name xpeng p7 test is extremely unfavorable for an electric car. The name does not stand for the sound that an exploding battery makes, but is short for Xiaopeng, the name of the manufacturer from China. The comparatively young company is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and is therefore still a newcomer in the automotive industry. But that doesn’t mean anything, even Volkswagen has secured a place among the shareholders for a lot of money.
are still very rarely seen in Germany The brand’s cars. The G6 coupe SUV, the G9 SUV and the xpeng p7 test sedan are currently available to choose from. The company made the latter to stern for this test. available
An exemplary electric car
First the performance: The all-wheel drive version of the xpeng p7 test has 473 hp and sprints to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. The maximum speed is exactly 214 kilometers per hour, then it is sealed off. The chassis is quite firm but has a comfortable touch that makes driving on rough roads easier. The vehicle sits safely and comfortably on the road and shows no weaknesses. Even at over 150 km/h, the interior is still pleasantly quiet and the insulation is successful.
When driving in a relaxed manner, the battery consumes between 16 and 20 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers. xpeng p7 test states the range as 505 kilometers (WLTP), in the real world it should be around 450 +/- 20. This is very neat.
Electric car:Electric car in the test: xpeng p7 test performance in pictures
The electric car front is reminiscent of a spaceship – but in a positive sense. The continuous light is a successful decorative element – and also provides excellent light
Even though the P7 looks like a vehicle from the future on local roads, it has been around for a few years in other markets. This means that the charging technology is not quite up to date and still works at 400 volts. But the DC charging performance is quite good. In the test, the P7 charged from 10 to 80 percent in 27 minutes at the fast charging station; the maximum output was 182 kilowatts . On average, the car pumped 138.8 kilowatts into the battery, but dropped sharply about halfway through. At 80 percent, the P7 still charged with 81.2 kilowatts. Not top performance, but definitely good considering the technical conditions.
If you don’t want to drive manually, the car has countless sensors available. Cameras, radar and ultrasound then mesh together and allow the software called “XPilot” to control the car. You can also see what the car is sensing on the digital speedometer. It feels like nothing is missing from the P7, as even the indicators of vehicles in front are displayed correctly.
There are problems with the software in places
The assistance package works, but it still didn’t make the best impression in the test. The pilot steers a surprising amount and constantly moves back and forth within his lane. A slope towards the right side of the lane means that you sometimes approach the truck uncomfortably on the motorway, which always leads to – probably unnecessary – interventions in the steering wheel. In places it seems like a small battle against the lane departure warning system, which is not the case with other manufacturers. It’s a shame: The cruise control can’t be used exclusively for distance and speed control, but only as a complete package with the somewhat annoying steering aid.
Speaking of annoying: Of course, XPeng adheres to applicable laws and starts beeping at one kilometer per hour too much to warn of speeding. Even if you brake from 51 to 50 in town, it still flashes and beeps. It’s only quiet from 49 km/h. It doesn’t help much that the sign recognition sometimes works poorly. During the test on the A7 from Neumünster to Hamburg in perfect weather, the car interpreted the 40 km/h sign at a rest stop as the new speed limit for the motorway. As a result, annoying beeping started at 150 km/h. A little perspective: at least you can switch off this control with just two small gestures on the screen for each trip. Nevertheless: an update please. Timely.
The same applies to infotainment. While the hardware is incredibly fast thanks to the Qualcomm chip and shows no weaknesses when it comes to operation, the software seems unfinished in places and rushed onto the German market. For example, the language assistant, who doesn’t understand very much, only speaks English. The navigation system works quickly, but sometimes says confusing things, such as “school zone ahead”. The maps are also missing numerous destinations, especially charging stations. The good news: All of this can be greatly improved later using the software, if it happens. Actually, XPeng can’t leave it like that.
A real eye-catcher
Because the small weaknesses and errors cloud the impression of an otherwise surprisingly good car. As a reminder: At the beginning it was said that no other electric car had ever received so much praise. But this doesn’t mean the test result, but rather the reactions to the xpeng p7 test. No matter where the car appears, hymns of praise rain down on it. At every charging station, every bakery and even when unloading stuff at the recycling center, people praise the look of the car and want to know more. This is quite rare for this vehicle class – recently it has been more noticeable with cars from Rolls-Royce or Porsche.
And people are right: the xpeng p7 test is a damn nice car. Both the front and rear sections are extremely successful, and the continuous light strips give the car an impressive appearance. This is likely to increase even further in the Wing Edition, which is not only available with wing doors but also in poison green.
In addition, the workmanship is impeccable. The manufacturer has no weaknesses on the outside or inside and produces a rock-solid car whose general impression of quality does not have to hide from the premium segment. There could have been a little less piano lacquer in the interior – especially on the steering wheel – but outside of that the P7 doesn’t feel remotely cheap.
Anyone who books the premium seat and audio package also gets a small concert hall from Dynaudio in the cockpit, which sounds really great. Whether you really need the many speakers, including some in the headrests, remains to be seen. Unfortunately, there is no massage function.
The xpeng p7 test is also quite well equipped for travel. There is plenty of space and storage in the center console, and the trunk offers plenty of space. This can be expanded further using the folding back seat. Unfortunately, the P7 lacks a frunk, i.e. storage space under the hood. This is annoying because the AC charging cable is always lying around in the car and cannot be hidden in a second shelf. Since the charging power on alternating current stations is only a measly 11 kilowatts anyway, you can simply leave the cable in the garage and limit yourself to fast chargers.
Conclusion: The Xpeng p7 test is a real alternative, but…
In principle, the xpeng p7 test hardly has any weaknesses. And if they do, then in places that can be solved remotely with a handful of updates. The car would be a real alternative to common brands such as Tesla, Smart, Kia, VW and Co. When it comes to looks, the car even plays in a league above its direct competition. The price starts at 49,600 euros, the “full hut” costs 69,600 euros.
Two problems arise from this. First: Xiaopeng is just coming to Germany. There are currently huge gaps in the dealer network, sometimes hundreds of kilometers long. They live in Berlin? It’s a shame, your next dealer would be either in Hamburg or Erfurt. Are you from the beautiful Black Forest? Nearest dealers: Munich or Koblenz. Since xpeng p7 test relies on partner companies, it is only a matter of time before these gaps are closed – but as of today, that is a risk if the car does go on strike.
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Secondly, and this is further reinforced by the first problem mentioned: Even if you get a lot of car for 50,000 to 70,000 euros, the competition is incredibly strong in this segment. Be it other Chinese brands, such as Nio or BYD, or even the German manufacturers. Many have tighter workshop networks and some even undercut xpeng p7 test. For example, there is the Smart #3 Brabus ( tested here ) or the Tesla Model 3 Long Range.
With the P7, xpeng p7 test is facing very tough competition – which the brand actually cannot win without extreme discounts. But it’s not the fault of the car, because it not only drives great, but is also a real eye-catcher.