At Auto Shanghai[3] in April 2021, XPeng presented the third model of its brand,[3] complementing the offer as a cheaper and smaller alternative to the flagship P7. It took the form of a compact 4-door sedan.[3]
In terms of styling, the P5 developed on the styling concept of the larger P7, distinguishing itself by a gently sloping roof line towards the short, slender ending of the rear part of the body. Headlights made in LED technology were connected by a light strip between them,[4] while the charging port was located in the right front fender.
The passenger compartment is kept in a minimalist design, dominated by a vast vertical multimedia system touch screen located at an angle between the edge of the dashboard and the central tunnel, characterised by a 15.6-inch diagonal.[5] The vehicle is equipped with a third-generation Xmart OS 3.0 multimedia system with a voice control function.[3] The P5 is known for its sleeping/cinema mode, front seats can lie flat to support an air bed along with the rear seat bottom cushions. Optional full-width projection screen, rear centre console mini-fridge, 220 V third party appliances.[6][7]
The P5 is the first mass-produced car in history to be optionally equipped with the advanced LiDAR Technology autonomous driving system.[2] It consists of sensors cooperating with a laser ladar that scans the surroundings of the car at a distance of 150 metres in the range of 150 degrees, including traffic lights, other moving vehicles, as well as pedestrians and cyclists moving nearby.[2] The 32 sensors include two LiDARs, 12 ultrasonic and 5 microwave sensors and 13 high-resolution image processing cameras.[2] With future OTA improvements, the P5 has the hardware capable of L4 Autonomous driving.
Sales of the P5 started in the fourth quarter of 2021,[3] beginning in the Chinese market. It generated a lot of attention during its premiere. Within 53 hours of its debut, XPeng collected 10,000 orders for the P5.[8][9] In 2022, they planned to start selling the vehicle also in selected Western European markets, starting with Norway.[10]
Drivetrain
The fully electric drive system of the P5 has a maximum range of approximately 600 km (370 mi) on a single charge. The car is for now only available in front-wheel drive and maybe later as all-wheel drive.[11]
