On February 29th, today, the topic of "Is rear-wheel steering good for MPVs?" caught the attention of XPeng Motors officials.
@XPeng Motors first reposted an article from a blogger, and then also discussed this topic. According to reports, the blogger mentioned the topic of "whether rear-wheel steering is good for MPVs and whether it affects comfort" that has been hotly debated among netizens, indicating that there are two main opinions.
One is that some believe rear-wheel steering affects third-row space and weakens rear-wheel driving capability; the other is that it does not affect comfort because when the front and rear wheels turn in opposite directions, it's for low-speed turns, which doesn't affect comfort. Cadillac CT6, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Mercedes-Benz EQS, and many articulated buses also use this technology.
XPeng Motors officials responded to this by stating that XPeng has invested heavily in research and testing to provide Xpeng enthusiasts with an industry-leading rear-wheel steering experience. The X9 is the only MPV globally equipped with rear-wheel steering as standard.
Once you experience driving a large seven-seater vehicle and can effortlessly navigate through narrow intersections, easily maneuver through right-angle turns, smoothly change lanes at high speeds without swaying, and park without burden, you'll understand just how worthwhile the X9 is!
It's been reported that for regular passenger cars, slight understeer characteristics can ensure stability during vehicle operation. However, during high-speed cornering, there's often an issue of excessive understeer. This is where the rear-wheel steering system comes into play, compensating for this excessive understeer and mitigating driving hazards.
Meanwhile, for medium to large-sized vehicles and luxury cars, rear-wheel steering enhances maneuverability at low speeds and stability during high-speed cornering.
As for the Xiaopeng X9, the first MPV under the Xiaopeng brand, it's equipped with a rear-wheel steering system to improve vehicle handling and stability. With a rear-wheel steering angle of ±5° and a turning diameter of 10.8 meters, it offers superior agility.
Compared to the Mercedes-Benz smart, which has an 11-meter turning diameter, this design feature allows the Xiaopeng X9 to navigate city roads with greater ease, especially during tight turns and U-turns.
Furthermore, the Xiaopeng X9 also takes into account the potential impact of rear-wheel steering on interior space. It adopts a rear H-arm multi-link independent suspension design and places the steering gear at the front end of the subframe.
This directly avoids the situation where the steering gear occupies rear space, ensuring ample headroom for third-row passengers and storage capacity in the trunk.
According to previous reports, the Xiaopeng X9 comes in three versions. The base model, CLTC, offers a range of 610km and is priced at 359,800 RMB, while the top-end CLTC model provides a range of 640km and is priced at 419,800 RMB.
As Xiaopeng's flagship model, the X9 is built on the FLA architecture, featuring an integrated front and rear aluminum cast chassis, a full-range 800V high-voltage platform, and the XNGP core technology.
With its formidable product capabilities and competitive pricing, the Xiaopeng X9 garnered 5,000 pre-orders right after its launch event. Moreover, it quickly surpassed the 10,000 mark and even saw a surge of tens of thousands of additional orders in January 2024.
