HONG KONG — Electric vehicles (EV), robots, and flying cars — the future is now with Chinese brand XPENG’s foray into AI-defined mobility, as unveiled in their first ever Global Brand Night held on April 15, 2025 in Hong Kong.

“We would like to take it from here and launch our dream to the world today,” XPENG CEO He Xiaopeng said in Chinese.

With their new AI tech tree strategy, XPENG laid the foundation for their future ecosystem of smart EVs, humanoid robots, and flying vehicles through “AI-integration, energy solutions, and embodied intelligence.”

“XPENG was never built to be a traditional automaker, we never wanted to become one. What really drives us is creating boundary-pushing innovations, whether it’s intelligent driving, AI-powered cars, we want to have technology empowerment,” said He.

In 2014, XPENG was born in a garage in Guangzhou University Town founded by a core team of internet professionals and engineers. A decade later, they are pushing for global expansion with the launch of their flagship electric vehicle: the "X9."

The 2025 XPENG X9 is the second iteration of their ultra-smart, large 7-seater luxury multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). It comes with their proprietary XNGP-ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistant System), which aims to provide seamless navigation in diverse driving environments.

It also featured their in-house Turing AI Smart Driving chip that allows for intelligent in-car functionalities powered by large AI models.

Their smart cabin is designed to offer a smooth, connected, and personalized journey. According to the company, it’s their “most advanced cabin experience to date,” and includes zero-gravity seats, an AI chassis with real-time adaptive suspension, and a one-click folding third row that ensures comfort in every seat.

The MPV, built on XPENG’s 800V high-voltage architecture, is equipped with ultra-fast charging capabilities. XPENG claims that with its 5C Superfast Charging AI battery, a 1 km range can be added on a one-second charge, reaching 80% in just 12 minutes — faster than charging a smartphone.

XPENG also puts a premium on safety with the X9, with the unit being the only MPV to receive top scores in three major active safety crash tests, with 14 advanced safety features including automatic emergency braking and a battery pack that incorporates enhanced ‘bulletproof’ protection, withstanding the equivalent impact force of 10 consecutive bullets.

The X9 comes in four options: the Long Range Max with a 650km range at 359,800 CNY (PHP 2,781,247.57); the Ultra Long Range Max with a 740km range for 379,800 CNY (PHP 2,935,847.21); AWD Performance Max with a 702km range at 399,800 CNY (PHP 3,090,446.85); and the Starship Edition with a 702km range at 419,800 CNY (PHP 3,245,046.50)

During the brand night, along with their current lineup of electric vehicles, XPENG also displayed the world’s first ever modular flying car, the XPENG AEROHT Land Aircraft Carrier.

The Land Aircraft Carrier looks like a Tesla Cybertruck at first glance, but it transitions from terrestrial to aerial mode once the trunk is up, revealing the flying vehicle tucked at the back.

According to XPENG, this modular flying car has already received 4,000 pre-orders, selling at less than 2,000,000 CNY or at PHP 15,511,892.00 per unit, and is set for mass-production in 2026.

“Hopefully, in the future, we can actually not only mass produce, but also be delivered around the world, not only in China,” said He.

As of the end of 2024, XPENG operates in over 30 countries and regions, becoming the top seller of premium EVs priced over €40,000 in Europe. In the first quarter of 2025, XPENG became the top-selling emerging Chinese EV brand within China.

Amid the ongoing US-China trade war, XPENG Vice Chair and President Dr. Brian Gu said in a media conference that the situation presents both a challenge and an opportunity to continue to grow the brand globally.

"Because we don't sell into the US, our current sales does not get impacted by the tariff between the China-US tension. However, we are very closely monitoring the situation because as a company we cannot escape from the economic volatilities that came with such attention. We need to be prepared in order to make sure that our products continue to sell well."

He added that they have done a thorough analysis and are confident that XPENG will be welcomed by newer markets.

"Because customer feedback is great, we think we have strong confidence and appeal to tackle into more audiences, to offer our product to more customers. Secondly, is that we also see this as an opportunity for us to differentiate from the rest of EV players. Because we feel like we're bringing something different, we're not just another affordable China brand."

So, will the Philippines have electric vehicles and flying cars from XPENG soon?

At the sidelines of the media conference, Gu said yes and that they are looking into the Philippine market.

“We really don’t have anything currently to announce, but [it’s] definitely a market we are very interested in.”