Xpeng X9 vs Audi S5 Sedan: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the X9 hits 100 km/h in 3.88 s versus 4.50 s for the S5 Sedan. The instant torque of 717 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. The 0.62 s gap is negligible: both vehicles are neck and neck.

At 200 metres, the X9 is doing 173 km/h against 142 km/h for the S5 Sedan. The gap is 0.71 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the X9 crosses the line in 11.34 s versus 12.80 s. The 1.46 s gap represents roughly 69 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The X9 maxes out at 200 km/h while the S5 Sedan keeps accelerating towards 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h. At 600 metres, the gap is down to 1.70 s from 1.46 s at 400 metres.

At 1,000 metres, the X9 finishes in 22.13 s versus 23.38 s, with just 1.25 s to spare. The S5 Sedan fails to fully close the launch gap.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the X9 is capped at 200 km/h, the S5 Sedan at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 7.04 seconds. The 0.62 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.