New XPeng P7 electric sedan is here with moving screen and 10-minute charging

To say that the world of electric cars is fiercely competitive, is a bit of an understatement. Especially in China, where it takes something truly special to attract the attention of very savvy customers. XPeng seems to have found the formula with its newly redesigned P7 sedan.

Immediately after its official debut yesterday, XPeng opened pre-sales and received the first 10,000 orders, although those are backed by relatively modest deposits. Still that much interest suggests that the P7's blend of advanced technology, rapid charging, and fresh design has struck the right chord with consumers.

Visually, the new XPeng P7 is a big evolution from its predecessor. The front showcases a new design language XPeng calls "Xmart Face," featuring a continuous light bar that works with vertical lighting elements to create a distinct H-shaped signature. This design is mirrored at the rear with matching taillights. The car now stretches over five meters long, with official dimensions of 197.5 inches in length, 77.6 inches in width, and 56.2 inches in height, all sitting on a long 118.4 inches wheelbase.

The P7's body is exceptionally sleek, with a drag coefficient of just 0.201 Cd, making it one of the most aerodynamic electric cars on the market. This slippery shape helps improve efficiency and range. Other design details include blackened A-pillars for a "floating roof" look and an active rear spoiler that deploys for added stability.

Inside, the cabin is dominated by what XPeng has dubbed the "Technology Island." This futuristic dashboard ditches traditional clutter for a clean, screen-focused layout. The star of the show is a 15.6-inch central control screen that can physically move. It has a swing range of 25 degrees left and right and 25 degrees up and down, allowing it to turn toward the driver or passenger in response to voice and gesture commands.

The active screen is supplemented by a massive 87-inch Augmented Reality Head-Up Display (AR-HUD) that projects critical driving information directly onto the windshield. Even the door panels feature customizable capacitive Touch Pad buttons, replacing physical switches for functions like opening the glove box or adjusting seat heating.

The computing power behind these features is substantial. The P7 comes with a total of four main chips: three are XPeng's self-developed Turing AI chips, and the fourth is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P. Two of the Turing chips are dedicated to the advanced driving assistance system, while the third works with the Snapdragon chip to power the intelligent cabin and its many functions.

For rear passengers, the tech experience continues with an 8-inch entertainment screen mounted behind the center console, and the seats are angled at a comfortable 30-degree backrest angle. Practicality hasn't been forgotten, with cargo space starting at a generous 22.3 ft³ and expanding to 68.1 ft³ with the seats folded down.

When it comes to performance, the new P7 offers both rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations. The RWD model delivers 270 kW (367 hp), while the dual-motor AWD version delivers a combined output of 437 kW (595 hp). These motors are fed by either a 74.9 kWh LFP battery or a larger 92.2 kWh ternary lithium pack.

The choice of battery affects the impressive range figures (based on the very optimistic CLTC cycle) - 436 miles for the standard model, a massive 510 miles for the long-range version, and 466 miles for the high-performance AWD variant. Even if we take away 20% on the account of real-life scenarios, all the ranges are impressive for this size of an EV.

But, quite possibly the most significant advancement is the P7's charging capability. The entire lineup supports 5C supercharging, a technology that allows for incredibly fast power delivery. With a peak charging power of 486 kW, the P7 can add an estimated 318 miles of range in just 10 minutes. A charge from 10% to 80% can be completed in as little as 11.3 minutes, drastically reducing wait times at compatible charging stations.

Chinese customers can place a pre-order with an RMB 99 (about $14) deposit, which converts to an RMB 3,000 (about $418) discount on the final purchase. As it prepares for its deliveries start later this month, the XPeng P7 is clearly not just another EV, but a technology-packed sedan ready to compete with the best in the market.

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