This Xpeng X9 could be the future of motoring – and it's a hybrid

Xpeng may just have solved electric car range anxiety for good with its upcoming X9 variant. This is what it calls an extended-range hybrid car (EREV), or range-extender. This technology could allow the car to travel up to 1400km (890 miles) using both the engine and battery, or an electric-only range of 430km (267 miles). That's a huge distance between charges or refuels.

Range extender vehicles are more common in China and effectively use a small petrol engine to recharge the battery when it's depleted. This is almost the opposite of Plug-in Hybrids (PHEVs), as they don't allow you to run the car purely from the engine. That's because the engine is very low-powered.

The X9 is Xpeng's flagship 7-seater MPV, or people carrier, and also exists in a pure electric BEV form, with up to 740km (460 miles) of range from a 105kWh battery. That would suggest that the EREV model would still have around a 60kWh battery in addition to the engine.

New P7 with AI

Last week, Xpeng also revealed the latest version of its P7 saloon/sedan electric model. This sporty luxury model runs three Xpeng-developed Turing AI chips to power its intelligent driving and intelligent cockpit. It's also built on an 800V architecture to allow rapid charging and has a potential range of up to 820km (510 miles).

Currently, Xpeng's only model in the UK is the Xpeng G6, an all-electric SUV with up to 354 miles of range priced at £39,900. However, the company is best known for its flying cars and six-wheeled EV designs.