XPeng P7+ Deliveries Begin in 18 Countries as Western Rivals Pause

XPeng Motors confirmed on Sunday that global deliveries of its P7+ sedan have commenced, with the first shipments directed to 18 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The rollout marks the aggressive entry of the company’s first “AI-defined” vehicle into international markets, a move that coincides with a sharp contraction in electric vehicle investment by legacy Western automakers.

The Guangzhou-based manufacturer reported that logistics partners began moving the P7+ units on March 1. Priority markets include Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, alongside newer territories such as Switzerland and Austria, which XPeng entered in late 2025. The company did not disclose the exact volume of this initial batch but stated that customer handovers in Oslo and Amsterdam would begin within weeks.

This international push comes despite a cooling domestic performance. XPeng’s February deliveries in China fell 50% month-over-month. The company attributed the decline to the Lunar New Year holiday, which shuttered production lines and retail centers for nearly two weeks in mid-February. In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, XPeng management described the domestic drop as seasonal and “fully anticipated,” redirecting investor attention to the P7+’s export potential.

The P7+ distinguishes itself from XPeng’s earlier P7i model through a fundamental architectural shift. It removes LiDAR sensors entirely, relying instead on the company’s proprietary “AI Hawkeye” vision system. This system is powered by two Nvidia Orin-X chips in the standard version, while the premium trim utilizes XPeng’s in-house Turing AI chip to process visual data. The sedan features an 800-volt silicon carbide platform, allowing for 10-80% charging in approximately 12 minutes at compatible 350kW stations.

The timing of XPeng’s expansion contrasts with the defensive measures announced this week by Western competitors. Stellantis reported a record €22.3 billion net loss for fiscal year 2025 on Thursday, with CEO Antonio Filosa citing the “cost of overestimating the energy transition” as a primary factor. Consequently, Stellantis has suspended work on two EV platforms intended for the North American market. Similarly, Ford confirmed on Wednesday that it would delay its next-generation electric truck, Project T3, until 2028, opting to extend the lifecycle of its combustion-engine fleet.

XPeng is leveraging this divergence to emphasize its technological roadmap. On March 2, the company is scheduled to unveil its “2nd Gen VLA” (Vision-Language-Action) AI model. Unlike traditional autonomous driving stacks that translate visual data into code (rules) before executing an action, a VLA model is designed to process visual inputs and generate steering or braking actions directly, akin to human reflex. XPeng claims this end-to-end approach reduces latency and improves handling in unstructured urban environments.

For European buyers, the P7+ presents a different proposition than previous Chinese exports. The removal of LiDAR has lowered the manufacturing cost, allowing XPeng to price the vehicle competitively against the Tesla Model 3 and the BMW i4. In the Netherlands, the P7+ starts at €49,990, undercutting the equivalent German electric sedans by roughly 10%. However, questions regarding service infrastructure remain. While XPeng has established partnerships with dealer groups like Hedin Mobility in Switzerland and Sweden, its service network in France and Southern Europe is less dense than that of incumbent brands.

Regulatory compliance for the VLA system also varies by region. While the hardware is capable of eyes-off autonomy, current EU regulations (UN-R79) restrict the system to Level 2+ driver assistance, requiring the driver to keep hands on the wheel. XPeng stated in its press release that the VLA capabilities would be unlocked progressively via over-the-air updates as local regulations permit.

The divergence in strategy is clear. As Western OEMs retreat to protect margins and stabilize balance sheets, XPeng is accepting near-term volatility to establish an installed base for its AI software. The success of the P7+ will depend not on its spec sheet, but on whether European consumers trust a software-first vehicle from a manufacturer that is still building its physical footprint.