XPeng, one of the Chinese EV start-ups that storms the EV market, recently held its annual "1024 Tech Day", announcing several new technologies and new business branches like flying cars ando robotic technologies.
In this post, we will focus on the upcoming EV-related tech. The two main things that caught our attention are the upcoming, all-new 800 V platform and high-power charging.
XPeng announced the introduction of China’s first 800 V high-voltage mass-production SiC platform, which further boosts efficiency and fast charging. The new XPeng EVs will be able to replenish up to 200 km (124 miles) of range within just 5 minutes.
Simultaneously, the company will launch new 480 kW high-voltage chargers that will be capable of supplying up to 670 A. The in-house developed chargers will also be equipped with Xpeng's own battery energy storage system to decrease peak demand. One charger is promised to be able to charge 30 cars one after another.
"The evolving smart mobility ecosystem depends on highly efficient and full-coverage power infrastructure. To deliver this goal, XPeng will introduce China’s first 800V high-voltage mass-production SiC platform, with new-generation “X-Power” superchargers able to charge for a range of up to 200 km in just 5 minutes.
To maximize the utility of the 800V SiC platform, XPeng will also roll out lightweight 480 kW high-voltage supercharging piles with IP67 protection, and safety monitoring, delivering a superior safe and convenient charging experience for customers. Supporting this supercharging network, XPeng will also launch power storage facilities in both piles and mobile vehicles."
The video shows a demonstration that the new EVs and chargers will result in 10-80% charging time of just 12 minutes. That sounds like a new state-of-the-art technology.
Currently, the company has 439 branded DC fast charging stations across China and 1,648 general fast charging stations.
Now let's briefly take a look at the other topics.
XPILOT 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 driver assistance system
In early 2021 XPeng launched the Navigation Guided Pilot (NGP) for highways, which is the core function of the XPILOT 3.0 driver assistance system. Customers already covered 12 million kilometers using NGP, and as of Q3 2021, 60% of the highway driving mileage was with NGP.
In the first half of 2022, the company intends to launch XPILOT 3.5, "extending XPILOT’s driver assistance system to support China’s complex driving scenarios in major roads in the city."
"XPILOT 3.5 incorporates the industry’s first mass-produced quadruple perception fusion solution, with dual-camera-vision coverage, complemented by LiDAR and millimeter-wave radar sensors. Its visual perception network has been upgraded from 2D detection to 3D, with multiple-target recognition, classification and positioning. With the world’s first LiDAR perception system in a mass production model, XPILOT 3.5 will deliver deep information fusion in a 3D drivable space."
The XPILOT 4.0 with "full-scenario advanced point-to-point driver assistance" is scheduled for the first half of 2023.
"Planned for roll-out in the first half of 2023, XPILOT 4.0 is designed to deliver full-scenario driver assistance which can support point-to-point driving for customers. XPILOT 4.0 will be built on a comprehensive hardware upgrade, with 508 TOPS ECU computing power supported by two Orin-X autonomous driving SoC (System-on-the-Chip) units, 8-million-pixel front-view binocular camera and 2.9-million-pixel side-view cameras, and a highly integrated and expandable domain controller. The hardware upgrade will again significantly increase XPILOT’s perception capability on top of its market-leading multiple-perception fusion platform."
Next generation flying car
XPeng has unveiled the next generation flying car design, developed by its affiliate Urban Air Mobility (UAM) company HT Aero. A flying EV is expected to enter the market in 2024.
"The new model will be built on HT Aero’s successful record of 15,000+ safe flights completed to date, fully in-house developed R&D, and multi-level safety redundancy design."
Robotic technology
The next area is the robotic technology "designed to support superior autonomy."
"XPeng foresees smart robots becoming an intelligent platform for the integrated smart mobility ecosystem. Addressing far more complex challenges in autonomy, sensing and interaction than vehicles, the pony-style robot prototype will be able to perceive diverse environments and multiple targets with 3D route planning, and execute multi-mode user recognition through facial, body and voiceprint sensing.
The next generation of robotics technologies integrated into smart mobility will need advanced sensory and tactile interactions to navigate and interact with complicated and highly diverse environments. The robot will have a 360-degree peripheral camera module and LiDAR sensing system, with object recognition, sound field sensory capabilities. XPeng will explore increasingly diverse scenarios to support wider mobility, planning and man-machine interaction."
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