Chinese Tesla rival XPeng Motors has introduced the G7 EREV in its home market. Unlike conventional electric vehicles, this is an electric SUV with extended range. What’s interesting is that the vehicle now has the longest driving distance of any SUV in the world.
The secret lies in the EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) powertrain, which combines a 58.8 kWh battery pack (enabling an all-electric range of up to 249 miles) with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine (acting as a generator, paired with a 60-liter fuel tank).
Along with the electric battery, the car uses an 800-volt electrical architecture with 5C ultra-fast charging, providing approximately 195 miles of range in 12 minutes using a compatible fast charger.
How XPeng achieved a world record range with a hybrid-electric setup
Together, the battery and motor provide an incredible range of 1,059 miles, which is longer than the distance between Beijing and Shanghai. By American standards, the G7-EREV should be able to cover more than a third of the country’s longest highway, Interstate 90 (or I-90), in a single pass, roughly the distance from Chicago to western Montana.
In July 2025, American automaker Lucid’s Air Grand Touring set a new Guinness World Record for the longest journey by an all-electric vehicle, covering approximately 746 miles on a single charge (via Car and Motor). Lucid successfully set the record in Europe, starting in St. Moritz, Switzerland and ending in Munich, Germany.
It’s worth noting that the record still stands, as it was achieved by a pure electric vehicle and not an EREV. So what is the difference between the two? A pure electric vehicle, like a Tesla, runs only on the electricity stored in its battery; Such cars rely exclusively on the charging infrastructure to charge and extend their range.
However, an EREV still has an electric battery that stores electricity and powers the electric motor, but also has a traditional internal combustion engine that acts as a generator. It produces electricity that can either charge the battery on the go and thus increase the overall range of the electric drive.
The difference between pure electric vehicles and extended range electric vehicles
The G7-EREV comes at a time when range anxiety and dependence on infrastructure remain two major concerns for electric vehicle owners. However, several automakers are adopting the EREV approach to address the problem. Just last month, Ford Motors announced that its next-generation F-150 Lightning pickup will be an EREV.
The most popular Tesla electric vehicle in the US, the Model Y, offers a range of about 311 miles on a charge, while the Model S Long Range can travel just over 373 miles. While one can still think of taking long road trips with these cars, EREVs represent a new paradigm in the practicality of electric vehicles by increasing the range many times over.
In China, the G7 EREV starts at about CNY 195,800 and rises to CNY 205,800, which is about $28,000 to $29,500 at current conversion rates. XPeng Motors intends to introduce the G7 EREV to global markets, including Europe and America, at some point, but the exact schedule has not yet been determined.
