Xpeng L03 launches with in-house AI chips across 65 markets, targets Level 4 autonomy by 2028

Xpeng's L03 is the first Chinese EV to put proprietary AI driving chips in a mass-market car

Xpeng launched the L03 across 65 markets with its own Turing AI chips and second-generation VLA driving system on every trim. Xpeng debuted the L03 on Wednesday in Munich, launching its most internationally ambitious electric vehicle simultaneously across 65 markets. The coupe-SUV is built around the company's proprietary Turing AI chips, with every trim shipping at least one and the top Ultra variant carrying three for a combined 2,250 trillion operations per second. It is the first consumer vehicle from a Chinese automaker where every configuration ships with in-house autonomous driving silicon as standard. The chips power Xpeng's second-generation VLA system, a vision-language-action model that the company describes as a physical-world foundation model for interpreting road environments and choosing driving responses. The system remains a driver-assistance feature, not full autonomy, and Xpeng plans to activate it progressively in Europe starting in 2027. The L03 is also the first vehicle from an Asia-Pacific automaker to ship with Google's Maps Auto SDK built directly into the infotainment system, replacing the need for phone mirroring or a standalone navigation app. The L03 was designed by a team led by JuanMa Lopez, who previously served as Ferrari's head of exterior design and worked on models including the LaFerrari and SF90 Stradale. Its sloping roofline, frameless doors, and one of the lowest drag coefficients in the crossover segment give it a profile closer to a sports car than a family hauler. Xpeng offers it as a pure battery-electric vehicle with up to 625 kilometres of range on China's CLTC cycle, and as a Power X range-extender with a claimed 1,330 kilometres. The real story behind the L03 is not the car itself but the vertical integration it represents. Xpeng is one of a handful of Chinese automakers that have designed their own autonomous driving chips rather than buying them from Nvidia or Horizon Robotics, and it is now shipping that silicon in a mass-market vehicle priced from roughly $21,000 in China. Volkswagen, which holds a roughly five percent stake in Xpeng, has already adopted the Turing chip and the VLA system for its own vehicles, making it the first major Western automaker to license Chinese autonomous driving technology at that depth. In Europe, the L03 starts at €34,990 in France and Belgium and €35,600 in Germany, undercutting Tesla's Model Y and Hyundai's Ioniq 5 in markets where Chinese EVs are still fighting for consumer trust. European WLTP range figures, which tend to be lower than Chinese test cycle numbers, have not been published yet. Charging from ten to 80 percent takes roughly 19 minutes, according to Xpeng. The L03 arrives as Xpeng expands into robotaxis, humanoid robots, and flying cars, all running on the same Turing chip and VLA software stack that the company is now putting into production at its Guangzhou facility. Whether European and other international buyers will trust an unfamiliar Chinese brand with this much onboard computing power remains the central question Xpeng has not yet answered. The technology is shipping; the market acceptance is not guaranteed.

This sleek Chinese EV pairs supercar styling with three AI brains

The Xpeng L03 is an AI supercomputer disguised as a stylish family SUV Xpeng's latest electric vehicle carries enough processing power to make the term "smart car" actually sound more realistic than it actually is. The new Xpeng L03 debuted simultaneously in Europe and China on July 16, with the company presenting it across 65 markets. Available as a fully electric vehicle and an L03 Power X range-extender, the coupe-SUV is Xpeng's most internationally focused model so far. Market-specific prices and sales dates remain unannounced. Three AI chips and Google Maps built right in The L03's headline specification is its triple Turing AI-chip configuration, which delivers up to 2,250 TOPS of computing performance. This powers Xpeng's next-generation NGP system, also known as VLA 2.0, which the company plans to roll out progressively in Europe beginning in 2027. Xpeng describes VLA 2.0 as a physical-world foundation model capable of interpreting complicated road environments and choosing appropriate driving responses. It remains a driver-assistance system, so motorists will still be responsible for controlling and monitoring the vehicle. Recommended Videos The L03 will also be the first Xpeng model to use a new partnership with Google Maps. Xpeng claims it is the first Asia-Pacific automaker to ship a vehicle using the Google Maps Auto SDK. Navigation runs directly through Xpeng's interface, removing the need to open the Google Maps app or mirror a phone. Map data will also support NGP and the company's more conventional XPILOT Assist system. This is similar to Rivian's Google Maps integration, which makes navigation more convenient. An EV with a long-distance backup plan Xpeng will offer the L03 as a battery-electric vehicle and an extended-range model whose gasoline engine generates electricity during longer trips. Official claims state that the L03 can go up to 625km, or 388 miles, of CLTC range for the pure EV variant. Meanwhile, the Power X version has a claimed CLTC range of 1,330km, or 826 miles. This includes 315km of electric-only driving. Though the international WLTP ratings will likely be lower, no tests have been published yet. For charging, Xpeng is promising a 19.1-minute downtime to charge from 10% to 80%. The car was developed under former Ferrari exterior design chief JuanMa Lopez. Its wide stance, sloping roof, frameless doors, and 0.228 drag coefficient give it a sportier profile than the average family crossover. You also get a large 15.6-inch display, sweeping ambient lighting, and 37 storage areas alongside generous cargo space. Xpeng opened Chinese preorders earlier in July at 143,800 yuan, approximately $21,200, although that price offers little guidance for Europe and other export markets.

XPeng's New SUV Launch Reveals Bigger Tesla Challenge With Level 4 Autonomy and In-House AI Foundation Mo

XPeng Details Next-Generation AI Platform XPeng opened Chinese pre-sales at 143,800 yuan, or about $21,200. Every trim includes a Turing chip, while higher versions run the full VLA system on multiple processors. The launch follows XPeng's strongest month of 2026, when it delivered 40,126 vehicles in June, up 16% from a year earlier. L03 Sharpens Challenge To Tesla FSD The roadmap also turns the L03 into a test of Tesla's lead in assisted driving. XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng has argued that VLA performs better than FSD on narrow roads and in difficult situations. Reuters reported in May that XPeng benchmarks VLA 2.0 against Tesla's FSD v14, while Tesla's latest system still lacked Chinese regulatory approval. Reuters previously described Tesla FSD and comparable Chinese systems as Level 2 driver-assistance products, meaning drivers must remain attentive and ready to intervene. XPeng's Level 4 target would allow a vehicle to drive without human control under defined conditions, but the company has not released SEPA 4.0 performance details. AI Platform Expands Beyond Passenger Cars Price Action: XPeng shares rose 7.34% to $14.34 in pre-market trading on Thursday. Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that XPEV stock has a less favorable outlook in the Short, Medium and Long term. Image via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.