Electric cars: Chinese XPeng wants to double its global presence by the end of 2025

The CEO of Chinese carmaker XPeng, which specializes in electric vehicles and is positioned in the mid-to-high-end segment , said Saturday that he wants to double the number of countries where the company is present by the end of 2025. Founded in 2014, XPeng is one of the Chinese firms in the sector with the strongest international ambitions, focusing in particular on cutting-edge technologies and design.

"We will accelerate from the 30 countries and regions we were present in in 2024," said He Xiaopeng, CEO of XPeng. "This year, we will expand to 60, and will have established more than 300 after-sales service points worldwide," he said.

He Xiaopeng was speaking at a press conference in Guangzhou, southern China, on the sidelines of the shipment of a shipment of XPeng cars to Thailand. XPeng already has stores in several European countries including France, Germany, Sweden and Norway. "Over the ten-year period from 2024 to 2033, we hope to achieve half of our sales outside China," He Xiaopeng said Saturday.

An ambition displayed despite the obstacles posed by the European Union (EU), which decided at the end of October to add to the 10% tax already in place a surtax of up to 35% on Chinese-made battery-powered cars.

XPeng is banking on several features such as driver assistance, fast charging and modular interiors in order to stand out, particularly in the Chinese market, where competition is fierce. He Xiaopeng predicted on Saturday the probable disappearance of some Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, against a backdrop of fierce rivalry in terms of price, services and technological advances.

"This year marks the beginning of the elimination phase in China. I think it will be extremely intense in 2025, 2026 and 2027," he said.

A record 10.9 million hybrid or electric models (+40.7% year-on-year) were sold on the Chinese market in 2024, according to the China Federation of Passenger Car Manufacturers (CPCA). The vitality of the sector in recent years has led to the emergence of several national flagships of electric or hybrid vehicles, including manufacturers BYD, SAIC Motor and XPeng .