XPENG L03 Impresses In The Details: Part 2

This is a car review, not an energy-efficiency story, but here's what it covers: the XPENG L03, a new electric vehicle, is getting attention for small design details rather than headline specs. It has a front trunk (frunk) big enough for a carry-on bag, a drain plug for easy cleaning, and 37 storage spots throughout the car, including a drawer under the rear seat. The front seats can fold flat to meet the rear seats, forming a bed, which could be handy for napping while charging.

On range and charging, the standard battery version goes 445 km on a charge, with a longer-range version reaching 520 km. Fast charging takes the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 20 minutes. There's also a plug-in hybrid version (called an EREV, which pairs a small battery with a gas engine to extend range) that can travel over 1,000 km total and can tow up to 1,500 kg. In Norway, the starting price before tax is about $27,600, cheaper than the least expensive EV sold in the US.

None of this is available in the US yet, and there's no word on pricing or release plans here. For homeowners thinking about EVs alongside home solar or charging setups, this is mainly a preview of the kind of features and range now showing up in electric vehicles overseas.