XPeng also launches an electric van, the X9

Xpeng will be the next Chinese manufacturer to launch an electric van on the domestic market from the end of this year. It will bear the model designation Xpeng X9 and will go on sale later this year.

The first undisguised pictures and technical key data have now emerged from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) registration application. According to these, the Xpeng X9 is just under 5,3 meters long and has a wheelbase of 3,16 meters.

This delivers enough space for the planned three rows of seats, comprising six to seven places. The rails above the rear wheel arches are noticeable in the first photographs, indicating that the rear doors are sliding, a common feature in the van world.

Two versions: FWD or AWD

The electric van comes in two versions, with 235 kW front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with an additional 135 kW engine at the rear. One of the single-engine versions will use LFP cells from Eve Energy, while the second front-wheel-drive model and the all-wheel-drive variant will use NMC cells from CALB. If earlier reports are correct, the range is up to 800 kilometers (Chinese standard, of course).

According to the Chinese portal Car News China, the electric car will also have a lidar sensor in the front bumper. They deducted the information from previously published prototype images.

The X9 will hit the streets later this year and will be Xpeng’s seventh model and the first in the new X series. Previous models have names under the P series when we’re talking sedans and G series where SUVs are concerned.

In China, it will compete with other electric MPVs like Zeekr 009, Hycan V09, Denza D9, and the upcoming Li Auto Mega. MPVs have recently enjoyed increasing popularity in China, so every local automaker is rushing to bring its product into a booming segment. As said, X9 will hit the Chinese market in Q4 2023.

Also, in Europe?

It is unclear whether the X9 will come to Europe. So far, the company has not commented on whether the electric van will be sold outside China.

Only a few days ago, it became known that the Chinese manufacturer would launch in Germany and offer the P7 and G9 there next year. The Chinese manufacturer is already represented in Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

In August, Xpeng announced they acquired the EV unit of Didi (China’s Uber) to build new affordable EVs under the Mona brand. In September, it was reported that Xpeng would ditch the direct sales model in favor of more traditional dealer models.

Xpeng recently got into the headlines as Volkswagen invested in the company and acquired 5%. This move brought the German automaker access to Xpeng’s E/E architecture that underpins its flagship model, the G9 SUV.