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Huizhao Huang

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng made its European ambitions clear on Thursday, as the firm unveiled its Mona L03 compact SUV at an event in the heart of Germany’s car industry, Munich.
The launch, arguably the largest ever staged in Europe by a Chinese carmaker, was not just about introducing a new model, but also about convincing Europe that Xpeng is here to stay.
“We are here not only to bring our products to Europe, but also to build them for Europe,” said He Xiaopeng, Xpeng’s chairman and CEO, as he opened his first keynote delivered entirely in English – after joking that listeners would have to forgive his “Hubei accent”.
He said the company chose Germany because it was “the home of the auto industry”. Less than two years after entering the country, Xpeng is targeting 8,000 sales in Germany this year, rising to 20,000 next year.
The L03’s pricing underscored that ambition. Starting at €35,600 (US$40,700) in Germany, it undercuts Tesla’s Model Y – Europe’s bestselling electric car – by more than €3,000, and Audi’s Q4 e-tron by over €10,000.
At the venue bar, however, guests were talking as much about the company itself as its new model. Volkswagen Group, which owns about 5 per cent of Xpeng, loomed over many conversations.
While the German auto giant is reportedly considering cutting up to 100,000 jobs across the group, including at Porsche and Audi, its partner from China is expanding aggressively into its backyard.

The questions grew sharper once the press conference began, with about 170 journalists packed into a single room. Alongside interest in the L03 itself, many centred on whether the Chinese newcomer could build a lasting business in Europe – especially in Germany, the continent’s largest and most fiercely contested car market.
When asked to respond to perceptions in some quarters that Xpeng is a “barbarian knocking at the gates” of Europe’s car industry, He used a notably measured tone.
“That characterisation is simply wrong. Xpeng is a company willing to put down roots in Europe and invest for the long term,” He said, adding that China remained “a student” of Europe when it came to the auto industry.
Yet for all the “in Europe, for Europe” messaging, Xpeng’s pitch – which focused heavily on the artificial intelligence technology integrated into its cars – did not convince all observers.
“They are claiming something which is already there – they didn’t invent AI in the car,” said Beatrix Keim, director at the Centre Automotive Research, a German think tank, arguing that European carmakers were already using similar technology without making it a selling point.
The approach could even backfire, she said, despite calling the L03’s design “quite appealing”.
“In China, if you claim physical AI, people buy it,” she added. “In Europe, people might be scared to buy it. It’s a double-edged sword.”
Xpeng nevertheless is targeting more than 90,000 overseas deliveries this year, roughly double last year’s level, as it bets on Europe to drive its international expansion.
“We have been talking to different countries and companies across Europe since last year,” He said, adding that Xpeng ultimately wanted “not just one, but multiple plants” in Europe.


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The Chinese electric car brand debuted its new SUV at a splashy ceremony in Munich, as it announced its intention to ‘put down roots in Europe’


The Chinese electric car brand debuted its new SUV at a splashy ceremony in Munich, as it announced its intention to ‘put down roots in Europe’.


China’s Xpeng plants a flag in Germany’s auto heartland with Mona L03 launch

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Chinese electric car brand debuted its new SUV at a splashy ceremony in Munich, as it announced its intention to ‘put down roots in Europe’

The Chinese electric car brand debuted its new SUV at a splashy ceremony in Munich, as it announced its intention to ‘put down roots in Europe’