Xpeng is starting to warm up its first MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) model, the X9, as its expected launch in the fourth quarter gets closer.

The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker shared three images of the X9 wrapped in camouflage on Weibo, showing off the model's general exterior design. The X9's rear end offers a crossover feel, unlike current mainstream electric MPVs such as the Zeekr 009 and Denza D9.

Xpeng was thinking about how young people relate to MPVs when defining a 7-seat MPV, and will detail the logic of how young people would buy MPVs at the end of the year.

On May 26, He Xiaopeng, Xpeng's chairman and CEO, said in a Weibo post that the company was building the X9 MPV, hoping to use the model to open up the MPV market for young people.

The seven-seat MPV model will be released at the end of the fourth quarter and may have a limited contribution to this year's deliveries, Mr. He said on August 18 during an analyst call after Xpeng announced its second-quarter earnings. It's worth noting that passenger cars sold in China are dominated by sedans and SUVs, with MPVs being a niche, business-use-oriented model.

In the January-July period of this year, China sold 615,480 MPVs, contributing only 5 percent of the 11.3 million passenger cars sold. Sedans sold 5.39 million units and SUVs 5.29 million units in the January-July period, contributing 47.7 percent and 46.8 percent of passenger car sales, respectively.