XPeng debuts the MONA L03 in China — and its Ferrari-bred designer isn't going anywhere

XPeng held the Chinese debut event for its MONA L03 on Thursday evening in Beijing, and CEO He Xiaopeng used the stage to knock down a rumor that had been circulating online: former Ferrari designer JuanMa Lopez is not leaving the company.

The L03 is the first model from XPeng’s MONA sub-brand, positioned as a more affordable entry point into the company’s lineup. But the car’s design pedigree is anything but budget. Lopez, who joined XPeng in 2024 as vice president of the styling design center, led the exterior design team — a group that draws talent from 23 different countries.

“The MONA L03 is JuanMa’s first work since joining XPeng,” He Xiaopeng said at the event. “In the past, he was the soul of Ferrari’s exterior design. He has a tremendous amount of experience in how to build a great sports car.”

He directly addressed the departure rumors: “There have been online rumors that he left to join another automaker. I want to set the record straight — Lao Hu has been at XPeng the whole time, and he’s not leaving.”

Lopez spent eight years at Ferrari, serving as head of exterior design and working on several iconic models including the LaFerrari. His move to an electric vehicle maker in China was widely covered when it was announced in 2024, and the L03 is the first tangible result of that transition.

The debut event comes one day after XPeng reported June delivery numbers of 40,126 vehicles — a 15.9% year-over-year increase — and announced that the L03 pre-sales would open alongside the launch event. The company has been positioning the MONA sub-brand as its volume play, targeting a price segment that has proven difficult for many EV startups to crack profitably.