Chinese electric automaker XPeng has officially held the debut of the Mona M03 sedan ahead of its launch in August 2024, promising to offer the “strongest smart driving capabilities in its class.”
Mona M03 debuts in China
XPeng formally introduced the M03 electric sedan on Wednesday via a live stream announced on Mona’s official Weibo page. It signifies the first model of the new Mona lineup.
For context, XPeng established Mona in August 2023 when it acquired the ride-hailing giant Didi Global’s electric vehicle business.
As part of the deal, Didi would offer mobility ecosystem support for the Mona and help it penetrate the national shared mobility market. XPeng also previously disclosed that Didi could get as much as 5% of its equity if Mona hits 180,000 annual sales for two straight years.
XPeng derived the Mona moniker from the phrase “Made of New AI.” XPeng initially said it would be a new brand. However, it has started calling it a “new lineup” in recent months.
XPeng’s great emphasis on Artificial intelligence demonstrates its efforts to fortify the perception of its smart driving technologies.
What’s currently known about the model?
XPeng expects the new M03 electric sedan to boost its sales in the second half of 2024.
XPeng asserted that the new Mona M03 will offer various smart driving features to suit different needs. The company expects the new electric sedan to be the most capable in its class when it comes to smart driving tech.
Interestingly, XPeng Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng declared that the new M03 is “meant to give respect to Tesla’s Model 3” during the event.
According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) catalog, the upcoming Mona M03 electric sedan will offer two single-motor variants. These variants can yield peak motor output of 140 kW and 160 kW, respectively.
Both variants reportedly feature BYD’s lithium iron phosphate batteries, supporting a 155 km/h top speed.
Impressively, it boasts a drag coefficient of 0.194 Cd, making it the world’s most aerodynamic all-electric hatchback sedan.
XPeng has yet to reveal more details about the new electric sedan.
Pricing
XPeng announced that the Mona M03 will cost below RMB 200,000 yuan ($27,500). This amount is slightly higher than the price range XPeng initially promised.
Nonetheless, the new electric sedan remains an ultra-affordable offering, especially considering that it will come with the intriguing smart driving tech XPeng boasts.
XPeng is gearing up to officially launch the Mona M03 in August 2024.
