Recently, an XPeng X9 owner reported on the China Automobile Quality Network and a well-known automotive forum that during the first maintenance of their two-month-old XPeng X9. the staff discovered a small dent in the chassis. They informed the owner that it could not be repaired and that the entire battery pack would need to be replaced, costing over 100.000 RMB. Without this replacement, the warranty would be voided.
If the vehicle hadn't been taken in for maintenance, the owner would have had a hard time noticing the small dent on the chassis, as there was no warning from the central control panel. The maintenance staff told the owner that if the central control panel did not issue a warning, it might not be a problem to leave it unrepaired. However, they could not guarantee that the battery pack would not encounter issues in the future, such as overheating, fire, or explosion. Faced with the high repair costs and the staff's lack of assurance, the owner attempted to resolve the issue with the sales service center and XPeng Motors' customer service hotline but eventually turned to the internet to seek support.
Why Does Fixing a Small Dent Cost Over 100.000 RMB?
The XPeng X9 is a highly intelligent, seven-seater MPV under XPeng Motors, with an official price range of 359.800 to 419.800 RMB. Its spaceship-like design is quite futuristic. XPeng Motors' founder and CEO, He Xiaopeng, once stated that the XPeng X9 is specifically designed to meet the core needs of customers in the 300.000 to 400.000 RMB range, offering the most valuable configurations to simplify user choices while providing more practical and cost-effective options.
The chassis is a significant advantage of the XPeng X9. After a complete recalibration, the steering response, cornering grip limits, and high-speed stability have been greatly improved. The XPeng X9 comes standard with an active rear-wheel steering system and an intelligent dual-chamber air suspension system, allowing it to be as agile as a smaller car and automatically adjust the suspension hardness based on road conditions, significantly enhancing driving comfort.
On XPeng Motors' official website, we found information about the XPeng X9 being "the world's only mass-produced front and rear integrated aluminum die-cast MPV." In the automotive industry, "integrated body molding" is not uncommon, with brands like Tesla, Xiaomi, and Neta all using this manufacturing process. During the launch of Xiaomi SU7. Lei Jun also highlighted the Xiaomi automotive factory's die-casting machine, which is larger than Tesla's, drawing considerable attention in the industry.
The pros and cons of "integrated body molding" are clear. The advantages include increased production efficiency, reduced costs, higher integration, improved range, handling, and safety. The drawback, however, is the higher repair cost. In the event of a collision, what might have been a simple part replacement now could require replacing an entire structural component. It's also important to note that if the aluminum alloy parts of an "integrated body molding" are damaged, they cannot be repaired with sheet metal; they must be replaced.
The XPeng X9 owner who lodged the complaint online had a small dent on the chassis of their "integrated body molding," which happened to be located on the outer protective plate of the battery pack, making it a part of the battery pack itself. Since it cannot be removed and replaced separately, the repair plan called for a replacement of the entire battery pack at a cost of over 100.000 RMB. It is worth noting that there are now aftermarket chassis protection plates specifically designed for the XPeng X9. which can help protect the chassis and battery pack to some extent. XPeng X9 owners may want to consider this option.
