Chinese electric vehicle (EV) startup, Xpeng, has launched the world’s fastest charging car to cities nationwide.
Called the G9, the powerful sports utility vehicle (SUV) can add more than 250 kilometres (160 miles) of range in only a five-minute charging window.
Xpeng, like many Chinese EV firms, is addressing range anxiety – the concern many prospective EV owners voice regarding the limited range of battery-electric transportation – by rolling out supercharging stations countrywide.
The G9’s powertrain is based on the Chinese-developed 800 volt silicon carbide (SiC) platform. The standard 3C version of the G9 can charge from 10 to 80% in 20 minutes when connected to Xpeng’s 480 kilowatt S4 supercharging station.
The company says its 4C model can add about 160 miles of range in five minutes and charge from 10 to 80% in about 15 minutes.
Motorists won’t be limited to using S4 stations, however. According to technology news website, Interesting Engineering, the G9 achieves an impressive charge time even when connected to third-party charging stations.
Chinese EV firms like Xpeng and Nio have identified charging infrastructure as critical to convincing motorists that range anxiety is a thing of the past.
Xpeng opened its 1 000th charging station in August this year. The Guangzhou-based company is reportedly aiming to build 500 more by the end of 2023, and another 500 by 2025.
In addition to the G9’s fast-charging abilities, the SUV features the market’s first “full scenario” Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS.)
Xpeng’s self-driving software, ADAS or Xpilot, includes functions like parking assist, navigation-assisted autopilot on highways, and city navigation guided pilot (NGP) that helps the car in avoiding real-life obstacles like construction sites and pedestrians.
Top-end G9 models sport 31 onboard sensors, a front-mounted camera, and two lidar systems, all powered by Nvidia’s Drive Orin microchip.
Like with many EVs, the G9 possesses some impressive power figures. Its dual motors produce 717 nanometers of torque and generate a combined output of 405 kilowatts.
From a standing start, the G9 will accelerate to 100 kilometres per hour in 3.9 seconds, returning to a stationary position in 34.6 metres, once the EV’s high-performance brakes are applied.
The vehicle’s combination of technical ingenuity and elegant styling positioned it as the new benchmark for EV SUVs, said company CEO and chairman, He Xiaopeng, during the G9’s official launch.
Deliveries of the G9 commence in October this year, with retail numbers beginning near $43 000.
https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/xpeng-fastest-charging-ev
