XPeng‘s founder and CEO He Xiaopeng visited rival automakers’ exhibition stands at the Guangzhou Auto Show, calling on Sunday for greater collaboration within China’s automotive industry.
“At the Guangzhou Auto Show, I visited our neighbors Xiaomi and Onvo,” He wrote on social media Sunday, referring to Nio’s mass-market sub-brand.
“I sincerely feel that China’s smart vehicle industry needs more excellent partners working together,” he added.
He’s booth visits followed an industry tradition at major auto shows where executives tour competitors’ showroom areas.
Both brands launched their debut models in 2024.
Xiaomi launched its SU7 sedan in March 2024, generating over 300,000 orders in the first 72 hours and breaking industry records for a new entrant.
Nio launched Onvo two months later in May 2024, with deliveries of the L60 five-seat SUV beginning in September. The brand targets the mass market below Nio’s premium positioning.
“I look forward to joining hands with all peers to expand the market, improve products, and let users worldwide enjoy a better smart mobility experience,” He wrote in his social media post. “Let’s charge up together.”
The remarks came two days after XPeng rolled its millionth vehicle off the production line Friday on the opening day of the Guangzhou show, held in the city where the company is headquartered.
The milestone arrived 14 months after XPeng reached 500,000 units — a much faster pace than the 82 months, or nearly seven years, required to produce the first half million vehicles.
XPeng x Xiaomi
XPeng‘s CEO revealed in a media session last August that he encouraged Xiaomi founder Lei Jun to enter the automotive sector.
“I chatted with Lei Jun back in 2017. I felt Xiaomi was very suitable because Xiaomi already had internet software genes and internet hardware genes, and these two genes have a certain correlation with automobiles, and it’s quite high,” He said.
Earlier this year, He publicly ordered a Xiaomi YU7 SUV just days before XPeng launched its competing G7 SUV. He also visited an Onvo store in September 2024, days before that brand’s official model launch.
Both XPeng and Xiaomi are developing extended range hybrid vehicles after starting by only producing fully electric models.
XPeng’s 1 Millionth Vehicle
XPeng‘s millionth vehicle was an X9 Super Range extended-range electric vehicle — the company’s first hybrid model after producing exclusively battery-electric vehicles since its founding.
The MPV launched Thursday at the Guangzhou show and began customer deliveries Friday.
“Today also marks the delivery of the first batch of XPeng X9 Super Range vehicles to their owners,” He said during Friday’s press conference, emphasizing the company achieved “delivery upon launch.”
The hybrid X9 starts at 309,800 yuan ($42,800), representing a 50,000 yuan discount compared to the fully electric version upgraded earlier this year, which starts at 359,800 yuan ($49,700).
