XPeng — The Guangzhou Electric Car Maker Built Around Software
XPeng is a Chinese maker of electric cars based in Guangzhou. It was founded on 15 August 2014 by former GAC Group executives, with He Xiaopeng, the founder of the mobile browser company UCWeb, as its leading backer and later chairman. Its first car, the G3 SUV, entered production in 2018. The P7 saloon followed in 2020, the year XPeng listed its shares in New York. XPeng is known for driver-assistance software, its own chips and lidar sensors, and it has expanded into Europe and Asia. In 2023 Volkswagen bought 4.99% of the company.
Key takeaways
- Founded in Guangzhou on 15 August 2014; He Xiaopeng became full-time chairman in August 2017.
- First model, the G3 SUV, built from November 2018; the P7 saloon followed with deliveries from June 2020.
- Listed on the New York Stock Exchange on 27 August 2020 and in Hong Kong on 7 July 2021.
- Volkswagen invested US$700 million in 2023; XPeng delivered 429,445 cars in 2025.
XPeng at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded | 15 August 2014, Guangzhou |
| Founders | He Xiaopeng, Xia Heng (Henry Xia), He Tao |
| Chairman | He Xiaopeng (from August 2017) |
| First model | G3 SUV (2018) |
| Main models | P7, G6, G9, X9, Mona M03, G7 |
| Listings | New York (2020), Hong Kong (2021) |
| Partner | Volkswagen Group (4.99% stake, 2023) |
| Deliveries 2025 | 429,445 |
Founding and the G3
He Xiaopeng was born on 3 November 1977 in Huangshi, Hubei, and studied computer science at the South China University of Technology. In 2004 he co-founded UCWeb with Liang Jie. Alibaba bought UCWeb in June 2014 for US$4.3 billion, then the largest internet acquisition in China.
Two months later, on 15 August 2014, Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Technology was founded. Its co-founders, Xia Heng and He Tao, had been senior executives at the GAC Group. He Xiaopeng and Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, were early backers. In January 2018 a funding round of about US$350 million was led by Alibaba and Foxconn. He Xiaopeng left Alibaba and became full-time chairman in August 2017.
The first model, the G3 compact electric SUV, entered production in November 2018. In September 2018 XPeng's subsidiary XMotors.ai received a permit to test self-driving cars in California. That year the company delivered 482 cars.
The P7 and the stock listings
The P7, a four-door electric fastback, premiered at Auto Shanghai in April 2019. Customer deliveries began on 29 June 2020. The first version had batteries of 60.2 to 80.9 kWh. Its rear motor produced 196 kW, and the all-wheel-drive Performance version had 316 kW in total. XPeng claimed a drag coefficient of 0.201. In 2021 the P7 sold 60,569 cars in China, its best year.
Funding grew quickly. Rounds of US$400 million in November 2019, with Xiaomi as an investor, and US$500 million in July 2020 were followed by the New York listing on 27 August 2020. The listing raised US$1.5 billion in 2020, and the shares rose more than 40% on the first day. On 7 July 2021 XPeng also listed in Hong Kong. It became the first US-listed Chinese company with a dual primary listing.
The P5 saloon of September 2021 was the first production car with lidar for driver assistance. In August 2021 P7 exports began, with Norway as the first market abroad. The G9 SUV was introduced the same year. Deliveries rose from 27,041 in 2020 to 98,155 in 2021.
G6, Mona and Volkswagen
On 26 July 2023 Volkswagen Group announced an investment of US$700 million in 2023 for a 4.99% stake. Joint development agreements followed in 2024, including electrical architecture for cars due in 2026. In the first half of 2025 XPeng earned 1.72 billion yuan from technology licensing fees paid by Volkswagen. The Volkswagen catalogue lists the partner's own models.
The XPeng G6 was unveiled on 18 April 2023 and delivered from 29 June 2023. It uses the SEPA 2.0 platform with an 800-volt system and silicon carbide electronics. Output ranges from 190 to 358 kW, and the WLTP range from 435 to 570 km. With 2025 batteries it charges from 10 to 80% in about 12 minutes. Euro NCAP scored it 88% for adult occupants and 85% for children in 2024; other results are in the car safety section. The G6 went on sale in the United Kingdom in February 2025 from £39,990 in 2025.
In August 2023 XPeng agreed to acquire a unit of the ride-hailing company DiDi for US$744 million in shares in 2023. With it came DiDi's electric car project, code-named Mona, which became the Mona M03, on sale from August 2024. The car has batteries of 51.8 or 62.2 kWh, 140 to 160 kW and up to 620 km on the Chinese CLTC cycle. Its claimed drag coefficient is 0.194. That is about 10 km per kWh on the CLTC cycle for the larger battery, a figure that can be compared with other cars in the EV range and battery data. Chinese sales reached 48,609 in 2024 and 175,183 in 2025.
Flying cars, robots and results
XPeng also works outside the car market. In 2020 it invested in the flying-car start-up AeroHT, renamed XPeng AeroHT, and in October 2021 its subsidiary announced US$500 million of funding. In March 2025 He Xiaopeng said mass production of the "land aircraft carrier", a vehicle that carries a detachable flying craft, was expected in 2026. In November 2024 XPeng showed its IRON humanoid robot, and in June 2025 its in-house Turing chip appeared in the G7.
Deliveries reached 190,068 in 2024 and 429,445 in 2025, of which 45,008 went abroad. In 2025 revenue was 76.72 billion yuan and the net loss 1.14 billion yuan, but the fourth quarter of 2025 was XPeng's first with a net profit. Since September 2025 Magna Steyr has built XPeng cars in Graz, Austria, for Europe. The second-generation P7, shown in August 2025, reached 10,000 refundable pre-orders in 6 minutes 37 seconds. XPeng models are listed in the XPeng catalogue.
XPeng timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014 | XPeng founded in Guangzhou (15 August) |
| 2017 | He Xiaopeng becomes full-time chairman |
| 2018 | G3 SUV in production (November) |
| 2020 | P7 deliveries (June); NYSE listing (27 August) |
| 2021 | Hong Kong listing (7 July); P5 with lidar; exports to Norway |
| 2023 | G6 unveiled (April); Volkswagen stake (July); DiDi Mona project bought |
| 2024 | Mona M03 on sale (August); IRON robot |
| 2025 | Magna Steyr production in Graz; second-generation P7; 429,445 deliveries |
Landmark XPeng models
| Model | Years | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| G3 | 2018 onwards | First XPeng, compact electric SUV |
| P7 | 2020 onwards | Fastback saloon, best-selling early model |
| P5 | 2021 onwards | First production car with lidar for driver assistance |
| G6 | 2023 onwards | 800 V SUV, sold in Europe |
| Mona M03 | 2024 onwards | Low-drag compact car from the DiDi project |
| G7 | 2025 onwards | First car with the in-house Turing chip |
Photo gallery
FAQ
Who owns XPeng?
XPeng is a listed company, traded in New York and Hong Kong. He Xiaopeng is its chairman, and Volkswagen holds 4.99%.
What was XPeng's first car?
The G3 compact electric SUV, in production from November 2018.
Is XPeng sold in Europe?
Yes. Exports began with Norway in 2021, the UK followed in 2025, and Magna Steyr builds cars for Europe in Graz, Austria.
What is the Mona M03?
A compact electric car developed from a DiDi project that XPeng bought in 2023. It went on sale in August 2024 with up to 620 km of CLTC range.
Why did Volkswagen invest in XPeng?
Volkswagen took a 4.99% stake in 2023 and agreed joint development of electric cars and electrical architecture. XPeng earns licensing fees from the partnership.
Sources
- Wikipedia — XPeng (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — He Xiaopeng (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — XPeng P7 (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — XPeng G6 (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — XPeng Mona M03 (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
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