Xpeng expects price cuts and its Volkswagen partnership to slim the agency’s losses, the Chinese language EV maker advised CNBC in an unique interview on Monday.

On Friday, the agency logged its greatest quarterly loss since its U.S. itemizing in August 2020. Its second-quarter internet loss was 2.8 billion yuan, bigger than the two.13 billion yuan loss anticipated in line with a Refinitiv consensus estimate. Its U.S.-listed shares closed 4.28% decrease on Friday. On Monday afternoon, Xpeng’s Hong Kong-listed shares have been buying and selling greater than 2% larger.

Xpeng’s second-quarter deliveries totaled 23,205, a 32.58% drop from 34,422 deliveries in the identical interval a yr in the past.

On Friday, CEO He Xiaopeng stated the corporate is chopping prices throughout the enterprise and that ought to “considerably drive gross margin enchancment in 2024.”

In April, Bloomberg reported the corporate was planning to trim manufacturing prices, together with saving 50% on clever driving options by the tip of 2024.

“From an expense perspective, we went by way of a really vital enterprise reorganization in addition to adjustments that we now have made. We begin to see the regaining of the expansion momentum that we now have in our enterprise,” Brian Gu, vice chairman and co-president of Xpeng, advised CNBC’s “Avenue Indicators Asia” on Monday.

Xpeng is making an attempt to revive its enterprise this yr, after its share value sank by greater than 80% in 2022. The agency struggled with a troublesome macroeconomic atmosphere in China and a value battle amongst home rivals and Tesla, which slashed the costs of its Mannequin S and Mannequin X final week.

“The demand facet really stays fairly strong. I feel it continues to develop regardless of the financial backdrop. However the identical time, the competitors has intensified within the first half, with extra gamers launching extra new fashions and being very aggressive on value competitors,” stated Gu.

“With a view to achieve higher profitability, we even have endeavor to spend so much of time on price chopping. Later subsequent yr, we count on our whole automobile BOM [bill of materials] prices to be diminished by as much as 25%. That can give us an enormous device to extend profitability as effectively,” stated Gu.

In automotive manufacturing, BOMs checklist all of the elements required to construct a automobile, similar to an engine, brakes, seats and dashboards.

BofA Securities stated in a report Monday that it expects Xpeng’s cooperation with Volkswagen to “enhance its monetary place and certain improve its provide chain administration.”

BofA upgraded Xpeng from “impartial” to “purchase” at $22 per share, up from its earlier value goal of $16.30 per share.

In late July, Germany’s Volkswagen Group stated it’s injecting about $700 million in Xpeng and taking a 4.99% stake within the firm.

The partnership will see each firms co-developing two new EVs that can incorporate Xpeng’s superior driver-assist software program for the Chinese language market with a rollout goal for 2026.

World and native automakers are selling superior tech to compete in China — the world’s largest EV market. BofA Securities in a Might report stated it expects China to carry 40%-45% market share in 2025.

“With the Volkswagen settlement, we additionally anticipate significant contribution to our backside line beginning subsequent yr. In order that’s additionally one other device we will use to extend our profitability,” stated Gu.

Along with deliberate new fashions, Xpeng has “up to date variations of present fashions” set to be launched subsequent yr, stated Gu.

“We anticipate these new fashions will carry extra favorable gross margins which additionally will assist our profitability and product combine,” stated Gu.

The agency expects its newest mannequin — the G6 Extremely Sensible Coupe SUV, which was launched on the finish of the second quarter — to spice up margins.

“We see an enhancing product combine and a stronger price management enhancing its gross revenue margin in 2024-2025E. We count on its new mannequin pipeline in second half of 2023 to 2025 to enhance its gross sales quantity progress,” stated BofA Securities.

— CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.