Xpeng has shown its new factory for the first time this week, which is undoubtedly a warning of how much these new electric car brands are growing. The facility is located in the Zhaoqing, Guangdong province. It has been installed on a 200-hectare plot, with up to 100 different production facilities, with automated assembly lines where the protagonists are 264 robots that shape the vehicles.
It has everything necessary to assemble the new vehicles, including a stamping workshop where they have installed a large 6,000-ton automatic industrial press, capable of carrying out 12 pieces per minute with an accuracy of 0.1mm.
An exclusive inside view into Xpeng’s self-built wholly-owned smart #EV factory in Zhaoqing.#ElectricVehicle #manufacturing #Automotive pic.twitter.com/CUb77s8jLG
— Xpeng Motors (@XpengMotors) June 9, 2020
For its part, the welding area is equipped with 210 ABB industrial robots that perform multiple processes that include gluing, welding, and riveting of aluminum plates. Robots that, according to the manufacturer, achieve energy savings of 30%.
It also has a battery assembly facility, while CATL will supply the cells. A flexible AGV production line, combining high-precision visual systems and robots to perform even the most delicate operations. The intelligent system is responsible for implementing the corresponding tests so that each pack has the perfect assembly. This includes carrying out 198 tests offline and 89 trials of battery performance, including isolation, production of the state of charging, and battery management systems. Everything to guarantee that each battery pack complies with the IP68 certificate.
Another key is that despite being a highly automated factory, the presence of some operators and engineers is still necessary. A profile that Xpeng has wanted to complete with experienced personnel, and thus the manufacturer indicates that 74% of engineers have five or more years of support working in the automotive industry. 78% come from other manufacturers of cars.
Thanks to this commitment, Xpeng has become the only independent manufacturer of electric cars to have its factory, with the trend being to rent space on large groups’ production lines.
The result is a manufacturer that, despite its short life, is relentlessly accelerating and that already has two proposals in the Chinese market. The SUV G3, which is already in Europe with the distribution in Norway, and the spectacular P7. A sedan that has become the most autonomous model in China, with 706 kilometers under the format used in this market and has advanced technologies with a level 3 autonomous driving system.