Rising stars: Xpeng gives Tesla a run for its money

Competition remains fierce in the global automotive market as incumbents and newcomers alike jostle for leadership in an increasingly smart, connected and clean mobility ecosystem. Not all brands will survive, as investment demands are high and betting on the wrong technology pathway could prove fatal.

In 2014, Xpeng emerged on the scene in China with a skeletal team and the promise of an electric, highly automated line-up. A busy eight years followed, during which it launched three vehicles, expanded into Europe and arguably set the bar for automated driving. The company was recently named one of Kantar BrandZ’ Top 20 Rising Stars in Chinese Global Brand Builders Report. Brian Gu, Vice Chairman and President of Xpeng, is positioning the brand as “a technologically advanced future mobility explorer.”