Xpeng X9: Leading the Electric MPVs

[@jashshukla701]

Welcome back! Had been waiting for a couple of months to hear- I'm Will, and this is ChinaDriven. The X9 is departure from traditional box style MPVs especially evident not only at the front with the raked windscreen, but at the rear as well with a raked D-pillar resembling a stylish SUV. The interior seems to be interesting with an almost 180 degree recline function for the third-row which is unheard in the western car manufacturers. The mouse to control the screen in the second row seems to be more intuitive to use in theory than gesture control, I know in the Li Mega, the screen for the second row can be controlled via hand gestures. What are your thoughts on having a mouse like control vs. hand gestures? Which one would you have the Xpeng X9, Zeekr 009, or the Li Mega? A compro perhaps? As always, great content! Continue the good work, your content is very refreshing. Looking forward to seeing more awesome content!

[@ChinaDriven]

Yes took some time. Helped out wheelsboy on a couple of videos.😅 A controller is way easier to use that gesture control. But I do like the idea of gesture control, it's something I hope we see developed further. Especially in Li Auto with their voice + gesture control combination. I just had the Mega for a week. Did a 1000km in it. In terms of comfort I think the mega edges it. But it's a lot more money. The zeekr 009 has some neat features for business minded people, like the webcam for zoom calls. But the Xpeng X9 I feel strikes the balance between business and family. And the price is enticing. And rear wheel steer is a god send in tight areas and heavy traffic with a 5.2m long car

[@jashshukla701]

@@ChinaDrivenMakes sense, for a starting price of 83 grand USD for the Li Mega is not exactly cheap compared to 40 grand for the XPeng X9. The Xpeng is definitely more accessible for the masses that way. With the Cd value of 0.227 for an MPV still not bad for the price. But yes, the Mega is more than just a people carrier. It showcases what an EV is capable of- lower Cd value, fast charging at 5C, and Maybach levels of comfort and refinement which is why the higher price tag. I feel all big vehicles should have rear-wheel steering as standard. What do you reckon?

[@ChinaDriven]

I think the Mega just shows that Li Auto can build an EV platform and EVs with great tech and features. Something some people doubted. But going into the high 500K rmb end of the market and in the MPV market was just a surprising misstep. Too niche. I think they worried they would eat L-Series sales if they went straight to an SUV. But I agree for the price tag of the Xpeng X9 your getting 95%+ of what you get with the mega. Hard to beat

[@ChinaDriven]

And yes big fan of RWS.

[@Ben-qe8cx]

LEVC L380 is best！

[@networm78]

There's a reason this is the top selling MPV BEV in China for 5 months running.

[@ChinaDriven]

You get a lot for your money compared to the Li Mega for sure. You basically get a product that is 95%+ of the Li Mega. And you get rear wheel steering which is a great feature. The Li Mega does have it's pluses though in things like it's charging speeds. Does that equal the price increase? The market says no. But the Li Mega & Xpeng X9 are both great products

[@EJFJ-Corporation]

​@@ChinaDrivenNot 95% of the Li Mega, far more than this as you do not have the risks encountered or managed/induced by the Li Mega! And you have specificities that Li Mega does not have : XNGP, fantastic back seats capacities for the 3rd row which can simply disappear when not useful!

[@EJFJ-Corporation]

​@@ChinaDrivenThe Li Mega will burn because of the 900V and the overcharge speed which is materially limitated and not managed cleverly as the one of all Xpeng models, by the use of accurate censors and EJFJ Positive Communication Norma between vehicle parts (X-EAA3.0).

[@ChinaDriven]

Li Auto's NOA is completely underrated. I actually have an unreleased video talking about why the Li Auto MEGA is quitely a good product. The best differentiator for the XPeng X9 is Rear wheel steering in my opinion. The narrative that MEGA's charge speeds are a problem is baseless. And plenty of OEMs are now coming out with 5C charging capabilities. What set Xpeng back in their fast charging (4C) for the G9 was the fact that it required an expensive upgrade on top of their most expensive vehicle at the time. And the lack of S4 chargers as they tried to balance s4 chagers vs customers with 4C capable cars. Li Auto commited to installing X amount of 5C chargers. Xpeng have now entered back in announcing recently new faster S5 chargers. So you can see in this respect Li Auto has led the industry.

[@ChinaDriven]

Also...the Mega can (unofficially) charge faster than 5C. So no it's not materially limited to it's current rate of charge.

[@chekim2]

I've been driven this X9 since March and enjoying driving it very much, coming from having driven 4 different SUV since 2012.

[@ChinaDriven]

I enjoyed driving it a lot more than I thought i would.

[@haoruchen4216]

its easily worlds best EV MPV ever, I can attest to this as owner of 4 months. Top seller in china but gets over one thousand views? West don’t care for such a fantastic mpv which beats out any world class people movers hands down! Deeply biased and jealous platforms can go to hell.

[@EJFJ-Corporation]

True...

[@Leonfr_2022]

We've just had Xpeng G6 debut in the UK, and I got to see G9 (in the car park 😂) they're on a great path, and I can't wait for more of them to arrive in UK, most excited Chinese car brand for me!

[@jimbo35br5]

I think we are just getting it in Australia soon. It looks amazing

[@arthurl5852]

@@jimbo35br5 yes we are. It was meant to arrive late 2024 but had been pushed back to 2025 so we get the update. I was told the update will do 800klm on a charge, 10yr warranty with 160k milage. Expected cost for the single x9 performance variant will be around $110k to $120k AUD. Zeekr 009 is coming to Oz as well but unfortunately they are doomed to failure here by coming to market at $180k AUD. We are their target market and even if the 009 is a better drive no one is going to be paying $70k premium with only a 5 yr warranty

[@Neutrinum]

I would love to have this car. This looks so comfortable to drive 🙃👌

[@itsmigz2043]

As soon as this arrives in our country, im gonna sell all our 3 generations of alphard and buy one of this for company use and one for family use

[@LoveEVandenvironment]

Subscribed. Good content.

[@ChinaDriven]

Much appreciated!

[@watatoi1515]

Great review in my opinion, seems to be a great car 🪫🔁🔋🏁

[@ChinaDriven]

thanks. I think so too!

[@JTheo73]

Just found your channel and love your style …. The only problem I’m getting more depressed as a UK driver with such limited 7/8 seaters available for our market….. But I have heard that LEVC L380 will be released for the Uk to challenge the V-class 👏💪🏼🙏yessssssss

[@ChinaDriven]

Xpeng have started to produce models in RHD, namely the mid-size G6 crossover. They plan to enter into to the UK market. Not sure if the X9 going to be part of that plan. MPV sales have obviously reduced UK and Europe over years. I bet that most MPV 7/8 seaters are being bought commercially. But there is a resurgence of MPVs in the Chinese market. Maybe one or two will make it back home to the UK...

[@novon04]

Is Xpeng the most underrated car brand in China? The G9, G6 and X9 all seem to be great cars with very competitive price-to-value. But they don't sell that well overall..

[@ChinaDriven]

There's so much competition in the market. The G9 was a too expensive on launch and that dampened sales. The relaunch has been somewhat successful. The G6 & X9 represent great value but since they launched in a price war competitors who were originally developed to be in the plus 300,000RMB range are now selling in Xpeng's 200-300,000 range. So thats hurting sales. Xpeng realy doesn't want to move the xpeng brand down market. The addition of MONA sub-brand/model may lead to extra sales. But Xpeng has had a hard time.I also thing marketing yourself on your ADAS ability is a tough sell, hard to convince customers on a short test drive around the block that your ADAS is one of the leaders.

[@dser3474]

在中国所有纯电（EV）MPV销量都不如混合动力MPV销量高，不单是小鹏一个品牌

[@ChinaDriven]

@@dser3474 Yes this is true. MPV sales generally although increasing are still not a massive segment of the market. It's still growing

[@EJFJ-Corporation]

Yes, it clearly is! But it will change as the production quality and the durability is even better than the 2020 Lexus quality! Things will change soonly, hopefully with the Xpeng Mona M03!

[@aliruz4800]

Does it have an air suspension? 🤔🤔🤔 I would like to regulate the hight, it looks very low for our uneven roads.

[@ChinaDriven]

10:43 yes double chamber air suspension as standard

[@cocoaiscool2709]

ah yes, not calling something for what it is ferrari started the trend

[@aliruz4800]

Does the screen have English language integration?

[@ChinaDriven]

not right now in China.

[@EJFJ-Corporation]

Yes it has, but unfortunately not by default in China, Tianji OS 5.2 is available in many languages internationally but this is programming limitations while EJFJ Positive Contextualisation and EJFJ Cumulative Cleverness should solve any problem ofevently and apply automatic adaptations to the user which out having to store so many informations at many places... Each vehicle stores only what us requested by its inoccupants and download continuously from computers or LPs what will be necessary in the next kilometer of road!

[@MaxStock9871]

Yes it has. I am now driving it.

[@aliruz4800]

@@MaxStock9871 is it the export version? You must have got it in different country. I’m about to order one from China, looks like I will have to get it translated.

[@MaxStock9871]

@@aliruz4800 No I live in China. Recently I got OTA and it supports English now.

[@inathoiehohs8551]

Hyundai Stargazer front, Lexus LM front skirt, Tesla Cybertruck side profile, Ioniq rims. Bye-bye Aphard.

[@dser3474]

对，大家都有四个轮子

[@pokehunter7078]

I tested the X9 a couple of weeks ago. The XNGP is ok but no way as good as Huawei's ADS 2.0 which I also tested.

[@ChinaDriven]

Huawei NCA is known to be a good system. I’d say the problem with ADAS I find is you drive it 10 times down the same road you could get 10 different scenarios.

[@pokehunter7078]

@@ChinaDriven Every system has its strengths and weaknesses. XNGP system hesitants at U-turns, exiting the highways, fast cars approaching from the rear, and making right turns (when traffic lights do not apply). I didn't find these issues with Huawei.

[@ChinaDriven]

@@pokehunter7078for highway driving my experience of XNGP is quite the opposite. It’s always made quick tight lane changes. There is also a cross over happening between HD map reliance to only using HD maps as a redundancy. It is unclear who is further ahead in this transition. Both claim they are “mapless” Which city did you drive these in? I find it interesting the difference I see in the different cities using these systems. Here in Changsha for example traffic is quite aggressive. A lot of cutting compared to SH or BJ

[@pokehunter7078]

@@ChinaDriven I tested these cars in Zhuhai. The worst autonomous system I tested was on the IM L6. It couldn't decide whether to proceed after the traffic lights turned green.

[@ChinaDriven]

​ @pokehunter7078 I've had very varied results in different cities with the same systems. I think we also have to take into account that road systems or preferred road layouts are not the same in each province/city or even city district!

[@badkid73]

Damn the Biden tariffs and protectionist policies in the USA. I’d buy this in an instant if available in the US. American auto is sooooo far behind.

[@MrMcnamex]

now no one wants to get alphard now great time

[@veichelis]

why do you pronounce it XPung? Everyone else can pronounce it properly

[@ChinaDriven]

@@veichelis 小鹏 is Xiao Peng. This Peng is pronounced PUNG. So for me I just have gotten used to it over the years calling it in Chinese by its CORRECT pronunciation. Check out @wheelsboy or @insidechinaauto those of us actually in China driving these cars from new and I bet they all pronounce it the same way I do.