New Xpeng P7 launched as Chinese Tesla Model 3 rival

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has launched its second production model at the Shanghai motor show.

The P7 four-door saloon will rival the Tesla Model 3 with contemporary coupé-like styling and a drivetrain that's claimed to provide it with a range of more than 311 miles in China’s NEDC-based tests.

Key styling elements include a long wheelbase, a short front overhang, frameless doors, concealed door handles and a panoramic windscreen.

The fledgling company, formally known as Xiaopeng Automobile, also says the P7, formerly known under the codename E28, will offer “superior driver-vehicle interaction and cutting-edge autonomous driving features to complement its performance and range”.

Speaking at the 2019 Nvidia GPU Technology Conference in the US last month, Xpeng's head of autonomous driving, Xinzhou Wu, said: “Our in-house operating system and proprietary autonomous driving software built on Nvidia's powerful Xavier chip make E28 the most advanced production model in terms of user interface design and intelligent features in the Chinese auto market today."