AUTO

XPeng Reveals New Platform Architecture

April 23, 2023

XPeng recently shared the details of its new modular platform, the Smart Electric Platform Architecture (SEPA) 2.0.
Using this platform should shorten R&D for new models by 20% and cut costs on user technology as well.
The XPeng G6 coupe SUV will be the first vehicle built on the SEPA 2.0 platform, and it was already unveiled at the Shanghai auto show.

Chinese EV maker XPeng has a new platform it unveiled earlier this month, which is called the Smart Electric Platform Architecture (SEPA) 2.0. The new Xpeng platform architecture will create the foundation for the brand’s future production models and will help reduce the cost of developing and manufacturing those new models.

How Will SEPA 2.0 Cut Costs for XPeng?

The new Xpeng platform is expected to shorten the R&D cycle for future car models by 20%. It should also cut costs on various adaptations of the brand’s advanced driver assistance systems, dubbed XPILOT, and its smart infotainment systems by 70% and 85%, respectively.

The SEPA 2.0 platform is modular and adaptable to work for wheelbases ranging from 1,800 mm (70.9 inches) all the way to 3,200 mm (126 inches). It’s also scalable to support almost any vehicle type: coupe, sedan, wagon, hatchback, SUV, pickup truck, or multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

Around 80% of the architectural components in each upcoming model will be compatible with future models. This will help XPeng to add to its lineup without incurring too many additional costs.

The G6 coupe SUV will be the first vehicle built on the SEPA 2.0 platform. The G6 was already unveiled at the Shanghai auto show.

XPeng Fighting For Its Future

XPeng’s CEO He Xiaopeng has said that an automaker needs to reach 3 million units annually and globally if it wants to survive beyond a decade. However, XPeng delivered just 18,230 EVs in the first quarter of the year, almost a 50% drop year-over-year.

The company hopes its new P7i sports sedan, the new G6, and a yet-to-be-unveiled seven-seat MPV will boost its sales this year. XPeng also said the new architectural platform could help make its infotainment service, Xmart OS, available to every owner.

The launch of this new XPeng platform comes at a time when the carmaker’s rivals have sparked a price war in China. Tesla cut prices on models made at its Shanghai Gigafactory and made its locally-made cars significantly cheaper in 2022. Other brands like NIO, Volkswagen AG, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford did the same, making the Chinese auto market much more volatile.

Last month, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) called for an end to the price war, saying it wasn’t a long-term solution to low demand and too much inventory.

And yet, XPeng is still all-in on this new platform architecture to cut its own costs and lower the sticker price of its cars for customers. The brand has said the new G6 will be priced just under $30,000, nearly $10,000 less than the lowest-priced Tesla Model Y built in Shanghai.