XPeng launches its new AI-powered MONA M03 Max BEV in China for under $20,000
Eight days after publicly unveiling a new Max variant of its already popular MONA M03 sedan, XPeng Motors has officially launched it in China at an insanely low price of RMB 139,800 ($19,400). For those prices, MONA M03 Max drivers will gain access to some of XPeng’s most advanced AI-centric technologies.
Less than a year ago, XPeng Motors gave the public its first hint at a new model that would become the MONA M03. After teasing us with brief images all summer, XPeng officially unveiled the MONA M03 in July 2024 before launching it in China at ultra-affordable prices.
For example, the M03 initially launched in three separate trims, priced at RMB 119,800 ($16,815), RMB 129,800 ($18,220), and RMB 155,800 ($21,870), respectively. The three variants – 515, 620, and 580 Max – refer to each MONA M03’s CLTC range (km), and the “Max” signifies the addition of XPeng’s smart driving ADAS capability.
The two lower-end trims of the MONA M03 began deliveries in August 2024 and have since propelled the model to the top-selling A-segment BEV sedan in China for eight consecutive months. By the end of March 2025, XPeng announced it had built 100,000 MONA EVs in seven months, hailing the milestone as a new record for passenger BEVs.
During a public event in China on May 20, XPeng unveiled the new MONA M03 Max ahead of its formal launch, which began today.
XPeng’s new MONA M03 variant is bang for small bucks
As we learned last year, MONA stands for “Made of new AI” and represents XPeng’s goal of delivering advanced AI technology to everyday customers. The new MONA M03 Max is a perfect example of this target, as it comes loaded with class-leading technology but at a price that most everyone can afford.
Not to mention some cool cosmetic features and functions to cater to the M03’s younger audience, 90% of which are below the age of 35, per XPeng Motors. Per XPeng Motors:
With AI innovation as its driving force, the MONA M03 Max brings industry-leading intelligent driving capabilities to the mainstream market. Combining class-leading advanced ADAS, a premium smart cockpit, and high-end smart features typically found in vehicles priced over RMB 200,000 ($27,760), the MONA M03 Max challenges conventional expectations of A-class vehicles — and ushers in a new era of truly accessible, high-level intelligent driving.
As reported earlier this month, the new MONA M03 Max features XPeng’s proprietary AI Turing Smart Driving System as a standard feature. The ADAS integrates perception, decision-making, and control into one holistic design powered by dual NVIDIA Orin X chipsets and monitored by 27 high-precision sensors and an ultra-HD surround reality display. Per XPeng, the system can accurately detect over 50 road elements and obstacles (see image above).
Unlike its MONA M03 siblings launched last year, the new Max variant also features XPeng’s AI Tianji 5.7.0 Smart Cockpit. Per the automaker:
The XPeng MONA M03 Max takes its intelligent cockpit to new heights with the debut of the upgraded AI Tianji System 5.7.0. Compared to the MONA M03 launched earlier in 2024, the new system adds over 300 new features. Empowered by XPeng’s self-developed XGPT large language model, voice interaction becomes more seamless than ever — expanding scenario coverage by 30% and enabling voice control for over 90% of the vehicle’s functions. This delivers an experience that outperforms even premium models priced above RMB 200,000.
Per XPeng, the MONA M03 will now come in four varying range options with the following pricing:
| MONA M03 Trim | Range | Price |
| 515 Plus | 515 km (320 miles) | RMB 119,800 ($16,629) |
| 620 Plus | 620 km (385 miles) | RMB 129,800 ($18,017) |
| 502 Max | 502 km (312 miles) | RMB 129,800 ($18,017) |
| 600 Max | 600 km (373 miles) | RMB 139,800 ($19,405) |
These M03 variants are all officially on the market in China. Per XPeng, there are no plans to sell this model outside of China at this time.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner with Superchargers and giant movie screens is ready to open, and I have to admit, it looks pretty sick.
This project has been in the works for a long time.
In 2018, Elon Musk said that Tesla planned to open an “old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles.” It was yet another “Is he joking?” kind of Elon Musk idea, but he wasn’t kidding.
A few months later, Tesla applied for building permits for “a restaurant and Supercharger station” at a location in Santa Monica. However, the project stalled for a long time, apparently due to local regulations.
Nevertheless, Tesla still moved forward with a Supercharger at the location, but it had to move the diner project to Hollywood. In 2022, Tesla filed the construction plans with the city, giving us the first look at what the automaker intends to build.
In 2023, the automaker broke ground on the site of the diner.
7 years after being originally announced, the project appears now ready to open:
Musk said that he ate at the diner last night and claimed that it is “one of the coolest spots in LA.” He didn’t say when it will open, but Tesla vehicles have been spotted at Supercharger and people appear to be testing the dinning experience inside.
A Tesla Optimus Robot can be seen inside the diner on a test rack. It looks like Tesla might use one for some tasks inside the diner.
Earlier this year, Tesla integrated the diner into its mobile app – hinting at some interaction through the app – possibly ordering from it.
Electrek’s Take
I think it looks pretty cool. I am a fan of the design and concept.
However, considering the state of the Tesla community, I don’t think I’d like the vibes. That said, it looks like Tesla isn’t prominently pushing its branding on the diner.
You can come and charge there, but it looks like Tesla is also aiming to get a wider clientele just for dining.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Hyundai’s electric minivan is finally out in the open. The Staria EV was caught without camo near Hyundai’s R&D center in Korea, giving us a closer look at the electric minivan undisguised.
Hyundai’s electric minivan drops camo ahead of debut
The Staria arrived in 2021 as the successor to the Starex, Hyundai’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Although the Staria has received several updates throughout the years, 2026 will be its biggest by far.
Hyundai will launch the Staria EV, its first electric minivan. Like the current model, the 2026 Staria will be available in several different configurations, including cargo, passenger, and even a camper version.
We’ve seen the Staria EV out in public a few times already. Last month, we got a glimpse of it while driving on public roads in Korea.
Despite the camouflage, new EV-like design elements were visible, including updated LED headlights and a full-length light bar. Although it’s still unclear, the electric version appears to be roughly the same size as the current Staria from the side, but slightly wider from the front.
New images posted on the South Korean forum Clien reveal a test car, expected to be Hyundai’s Staria electric minivan, without camo.
Like most Hyundai test cars, the prototype has a black front and a grey body. It still features a similar look to other prototypes we’ve seen, but you can clearly see the new facelift.
Earlier this year, a Staria EV was spotted in a parking lot in Korea, featuring a similar look. The electric version is nearly identical to the Staria Lounge, but with an added charge port and closed-off grille.
The Hyundai Staria EV is expected to make its global debut later this year. Technical details have yet to be revealed, but it’s expected to feature either a 76 kWh or 84 kWh battery, providing a range of around 350 km (217 miles) to 400 km (249 miles).
Hyundai’s electric SUV arrives after Kia introduced its first electric van, the PV5, which launched in Europe and Korea earlier this year.
In Europe, the Kia Passenger PV5 model is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo version has a WLTP range of 181 miles or 247 miles.
Source: TheKoreanCarBlog, Clien
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike