At 4888mm long, the P7 is actually closer in length to the Model S than the Model 3. That said, the smaller car seems a fairer comparison: Tesla is still considered an industry start-up in some quarters, but consider that the Model S launched two years before Xpeng was founded…
Using the same Edward architecture – yes, unusual name for a car platform, that – as the new G9, the P7 saloon is offered with a choice of single- and twin-motor powertrains. We tested the rear-drive single-motor version, which offers 272bhp and 325lb ft of torque. With an 86.2kWh battery (82.7kWh usable), that gives a hugely competitive range of 358 miles and a top speed of 6.7sec.
The Performance version – which you can tell by the use of a black X badge on the front of the car – uses a pair of motors to offer a combined output of 466bhp, reducing the 0-62mph sprint to 4.1sec. It shares the same battery, while both feature a 400V architecture – as opposed to the 800V system on the G9 – giving a maximum charging speed of 175kW.
The impressive 358-mile range, which is competitive with the likes of the Model 3 and Ioniq 6, is enabled by the sleek, sharp styling that sits somewhere between a saloon and a grand coupé – Xpeng claims a drag coefficient of 0.236 – which results in an official efficiency of 3.7mpkWh. It also gives the machine an undoubted dash of kerb appeal.
The Tesla inspiration is clear, but it has its own identity thanks to its ‘X robot face’, marked out by a subtle thin light strip. You can even option gullwing doors, although our test car had resolutely standard versions.