I took these two recently launched vehicles to come up with one example of how competitive the Chinese products are compared to their European rivals. They are the Lancia Gamma on its LS trim and the Xpeng L03 Standard Range. What do they have in common? They are both C to D coupe SUVs with the same dimensions and powered by electric engines. They both feature some of the latest technology and platform from their respective carmakers. They also include a lot of safety/comfort/design features that are in line to what the consumers want in this segment. But that’s it. The entry version of the Xpeng with pretty much the same accessories is €11,000 cheaper than the basic Lancia. Yes, the Xpeng’s battery and range are smaller, but 100 km less of range doesn’t explain the big price gap. When it’s about software and practical solutions, the Xpeng is still ahead of the Lancia. The big price gap (even after Xpeng pays an extra 21% on top of the EU’s standard 10%) is explained by two factors happening at the same