After reporting record sales and an increased gross margin in the second quarter, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng is aiming to sell up to 30% more cars in the third quarter, reports the South China Morning Post. The company’s sales are benefiting from the accelerated adoption of EVs in China.
“We believe China’s smart EV segment is entering a new era thanks to an acceleration in the pace of growth,” He Xiaopeng, the carmaker’s co-founder and CEO, said during an earnings conference call. The company would target the delivery of between 21,500 and 22,500 EVs in the third quarter, or 23.6% to 29.3% higher than the 17,398 units it delivered in the three months ending June, he added.
The Xpeng announcement comes as sales of new energy vehicles–pure electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell cars–rose 231.5% year-on-year to 1.09 million units in the first half of this year, according to the China Passenger Car Association. The industry body forecast that full-year deliveries could more than double to 2.4 million EVs amid the accelerated adoption of such vehicles in China.
