Source: XPeng

On May 29, XPeng officially introduced the MONA M03 Max version to the Chinese market with two range variants: a 502 km version priced at 129,800 RMB (18,000 USD) and a 600 km version priced at 139,800 RMB (19,400 USD).

In addition to the Max versions, XPeng also released two new Plus versions: a 515 km Long-Range Plus priced at 119,800 RMB (16,600 USD) and a 620 km Ultra Long-Range Plus priced at 129,800 RMB (18,000 USD).

According to XPeng, within just one hour of the announcement, the Max and Plus versions of the MONA M03 received 12,566 confirmed orders.

This performance surpassed the initial order volume from the launch period of the previous year. Among these, the Max version accounted for 83 percent of the total orders.

Positioned as the smartest EV under 150,000 RMB (21,000 USD)

XPeng aims to position the MONA M03 Max as the most intelligent vehicle in the market segment priced under 150,000 RMB (21,000 USD).

This model integrates XPeng’s XNGP intelligent driving system, features the Snapdragon 8295 cockpit platform, and includes dual NVIDIA Orin-X chips with a combined computing power of 508 TOPS.

The vehicle is also equipped with dual front-facing cameras, seven perception cameras, and three millimeter-wave radars.

Source: XPeng

This sensor and chip configuration matches what is typically found in XPeng’s more expensive G6 Max and G9 Max models, which are priced well above this segment.

As a result, the MONA M03 Max offers capabilities such as high-speed navigation-assisted driving, automatic lane changing, ramp entry and exit, reverse tracking, remote parking, and voice-controlled smart parking.

These features significantly raise the bar for driver assistance systems in the sub-150,000 RMB (21,000 USD) category.

An upgrade in every department

In comparison with the previously released base version of the MONA M03 (515 km range), the Max version delivers substantial upgrades in nearly every key area.

The Max version’s motor output is increased to 160 kW (218 horsepower) with 250 Nm of torque, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds.

In contrast, the base model has a 140 kW motor (190 horsepower) with 225 Nm of torque and a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 7.8 seconds.

The Max version also comes with a larger 62.2 kWh battery compared to the 51.8 kWh unit in the base model. This allows the Max variant to achieve a CLTC-rated range of 580 km, up from 515 km in the standard version, while maintaining the same 30% to 80% fast-charging time of 26 minutes.

In addition to better performance and range, the Max variant offers a richer suite of features. These include a 15.6-inch 2.5K central screen, the XOS Tianji operating system, front seat heating and ventilation, voice-controlled seat adjustments, 256-color ambient lighting, and support for wireless Apple CarPlay, CarLife, and Huawei HiCar.

Source: XPeng

The vehicle also includes a comprehensive set of intelligent driver-assistance features supported by two NVIDIA Orin-X chips, including city and highway navigation-assisted driving, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and more.

Vehicle + ADAS for half the price of Tesla’s FSD software

With its starting price of just 129,800 RMB (18,000 USD), the XPeng MONA M03 Max introduces hardware and software capabilities typically found in vehicles priced well above 200,000 RMB (28,000 USD).

Source: XPeng

Chairman and founder He Xiaopeng even claimed that the MONA M03 Max performs as well as premium EVs priced in the 500,000 RMB level.

The launch of this model could significantly raise consumer expectations in the compact electric vehicle segment.

Considering that Tesla’s FSD software cost 64,000 RMB in China, half the price of the MONA M03 Max that comes with XNGP, XPeng’s new vehicle easily sits atop of the industry at the moment from a value standpoint.

XPeng has stated that, in the coming months, it will continue to expand the availability of its City NGP (Navigation Guided Pilot) features to additional cities in China, with the goal of achieving full nationwide coverage by the end of 2025.

With premium-level performance, a high-end intelligent cockpit, and state-of-the-art autonomous driving features—all for under 130,000 RMB (18,000 USD)—it sets a new standard for what consumers can expect from a smart EV.