Xpeng X9 minivan.
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Another day, another luxury minivan from China. Or so it seems.
We have seen the new “Mega” from Li Auto a few weeks ago, the Buick GL8 Century, Lexus LM, and of course the all-new Volvo EM90. Itself related to the Zeekr 009. Except for the Buick and the Lexus, these are all electric.
This new X9 is from a company called Xpeng, founded in 2014. They currently produce 4 models of sedans and SUVs. (They all seem to be EVs)
The new X9 is a futuristic-looking minivan that seats 7. Active rear-wheel steering is standard on all models and the base price in China is $54 600, which is quite expensive. Although this is a luxury EV with a range of 379 miles or 436 miles depending on the battery (Chinese test cycle).
The X9 is also quite large. At over 208 inches long it is just a couple of inches shorter than a Chevrolet Tahoe. And about 4 inches longer than a Toyota Sienna.
Here is some of the official PR BS from Xpeng: “The core essence of the X9 lies in end-to-end innovation, encompassing product design to smart driving technology, ushering in the next generation of smart electric large 7-seater models while broadening the selection of EV products for consumers. In terms of body design, XPENG X9 strikes a balance between tech-savvy aesthetics and functionality to create an exceptional user experience. The newly minted flagship model features the class-leading three-row seater design with the most spacious third row in MPV segments. Beyond the spacious seating layout, X9’s third-row versatility provides immense cargo space to meet users’ personalized and diversified needs. With active rear-wheel steering and China’s only car model equipped with intelligent double-chamber air suspension as standard, the X9 offers driving and control performance that is unmatched in its class.”
All these crazy Chinese luxury minivans actually sound sound pretty interesting. It’s almost weird to see such popularity for a class of vehicle that has been almost completely eclipsed by the SUV tsunami over here and in Europe.