Tesla-inspired Xpeng Motors unveils Model 3 competitor despite Autopilot lawsuit

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China’s Xpeng Motors newly introduced its answer to the Tesla Model 3, the P7 sedan. The vehicle is impressive, packing around 440 miles of range per charge under NEDC criteria at a price that undercuts established competitors. But the firm ’s contest with Tesla goes past the pavement and well to the courtroom.

Xpeng issued a press release on April 27 announcing that the release of its next generation model vehicle. The P7 is presently available for purchase in China in three variants: a 4WD High Performance trimming that may reach 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, an RWD Super Long Range version that goes 440 miles under the NEDC cycle, along with the entrance level RWD Long Range. The all-electric sedan utilizes 12 ultrasonic detectors, five millimeter-wave radars, and 14 detectors to function its autonomous driving method, which will be called XPILOT3.0. After subsidies, the car will cost between $32,462 and $49,404.

“Today is a landmark in the 5-year background of Xpeng Motors,” Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng stated. “The P7’s launch solidifies Xpeng Motors’ leading place in China’s smart EV marketplace . Our ability to start the P7 in the hard conditions of the COVID-19 crisis is really a testament to the potency of our young firm. ”

However, Xpeng’s presence in the world of electric vehicles goes considerably further than the launch of its brand new car. The company is currently in a legal battle with Tesla, who is suing a company engineer for allegedly stealing Autopilot’s source code before starting his employment at the Chinese automaker.




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Tesla accused Guangzhi Cao of downloading Autopilot’s source code for his personal computer and moving it through Apple Airdrop prior to selling it into Xpeng for financial gain. Airdrop is a complicated method to trace since it uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption. Cao, for his part, maintains that he’d download some of Autopilot’s source code into his personal computer, but he contended that he deleted it before leaving Tesla to combine Xpeng.

Unfortunately to the Chinese EV startup, the Tesla’s Autopilot source lawsuit is currently turning ugly. The most recent improvements in the lawsuit state that Xpeng is asserting Tesla’s asks are “stereotypical” following the company demanded information from an ex-employee of Apple. The same as Cao, the ex-Apple worker left his job Xpeng and was criminally charged with supplying information to the Chinese automaker, Automotive News said.

“Tesla’s newest needs crossed the line, attempting to rummage through our IP on Tesla’s terms — and smearing us along the way with misrepresentations and innuendo,” ” that a spokesperson from Xpeng’s U.S. affiliate, XMotors, said. “Tesla’s overreach and distortions affirm this is only disrupt and a fishing trip meant to bully a young competitor. ”

Interestingly enough, Xpeng executives have been vocal supporters of Tesla before. President and Vice Chairman of Xpeng, Brian Gu, has passed to Tesla, comparing them into technologies giant Apple. “Tesla reminds me of Apple. It educated the luxury market for China, but it also spurred a lot of aggressive brands such as Xiaomi and Huawei to come up with cool and affordable goods,” Gu stated.

Furthermore, CEO He Xiaopeng said that the company would not exist if Tesla didn’t release 200 patents into the public a few decades ago. One reason Xpeng was set up was because Elon Musk made Tesla’s patents available. It was exciting,” he said. Nonetheless, these patents didn’t include any Autopilot coding, that is instrumental in Tesla’s lead in the autonomous vehicle market.

Xpeng’s complete press release can be obtained here.

The article Tesla-inspired Xpeng Motors unveils Model 3 competitor despite Autopilot lawsuit appeared initially on TESLARATI.

Article Source and Credit teslarati.com https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-xpeng-motors-model-3-rival-launch-autopilot-lawsuit/ Buy Tickets for every event – Sports, Concerts, Festivals and more buytickets.com

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