They already have VW in their pocket as a partner and have their sights set on Tesla as their most important opponent. This makes XPeng perhaps the most exciting newcomer from China at the moment and none of its cars have such good prospects as the G6.
X-Peng, Jipeng or Shi-Pang – the first phonetic encounter is anything but easy, and by the third attempt at the latest, the tongue has tied itself in knots. But a little practice can’t hurt, because we will probably have to say the name of the ten-year-old Chinese startup more often in the coming years.
Chinese manufacturer Xpeng is starting to take off in Europe, not only because VW invested 700 million dollars and wants the company from Guangzhou to help VW get a foothold on the Chinese market. But also because their cars are simply good. The XXL SUV G9 and the P7 sedan have already attracted a lot of attention, but since they added the G6 this summer, even the electric world champion Tesla Model Y has lost a little of its lustre.
The comparison is especially striking when you look at the price: While Tesla sells its Model Y for at least 44,990 euros in Germany, the G6 is listed with very similar technical specifications for 43,600 euros. The gap continues to widen at the top.
At 4.75 metres long, smooth, straightforward and without a truly independent appearance apart from the sparkling X in the LED face, the Xpeng could easily be mistaken for the Model Y if it wasn’t painted in bright Fiery Red.
On the inside, the Chinese company also barely bothered to conceal its role model. The G6 is thus just soberly furnished and has a similarly minimalist operating concept, except that it at least has a second screen behind the steering wheel. The second screen is significantly smaller and only displays the most important driving information is displayed. Even the ventilation is controlled on the touchscreen, where you can also open the glove compartment or adjust the mirrors. There is only a button for the doors of all things, although everyone is looking for a handle.
With a wheelbase of 2.89 metres, the G6 offers plenty of space in both rows and a boot of 571 litres. Unfortunately, the Chinese have not copied the frunk from Tesla.
On the other hand, they are extremely generous when it comes to equipment: from the panoramic roof and air-conditioned seats to the high-end sound system and all the assistants for a five-star rating, it leaves nothing to be desired. All the more so because everything is on board as standard and there are only two options on the price list: The electrically extendable trailer coupling and the four special colours, which also include the bright orange of the first model.
Xpeng offers three drive configurations: The basic model (RWD Standard) is powered by a rear engine with 190 kW and 440 Nm, which an LFP battery with 66 kWh can take up to 435 standard kilometres. The RWD Long Range, which costs at least 47,600 euros, has 210 kW on the rear axle and NCM cells with 87.5 kWh in the floor, which are sufficient for up to 570 kilometres. And if you spend 51,600 euros, you can achieve a system output of 350 kW with a second motor, but have to plug in the large battery 20 kilometres earlier.
| G6 | G6 Long Range | G6 AWD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive | RWD | RWD | AWD |
| Output | 190 kW | 210 kW | 350 kW |
| Torque | 440 Nm | 440 Nm | 660 Nm |
| Acceleration | 6.9 s | 6.7 s | 4.1 s |
| Top speed | 200 kph | 200 kph | 200 kph |
| WLTP range | 435 km | 570 km | 550 km |
| Battery | 66 kWh | 87.5 kWh | 87.5 kWh |
| Charging capacity DC | 215 kW | 280 kW | 280 kW |
| Charging time DC 10-80% | <20 min | <20 min | <20 min |
The G6 accelerates from 0 to 100 in as little as 4.1 seconds in the range-topping AWD variant, with up to 200 kph and the choice between sailing or one-pedal driving when recuperating. But while it looks cool and sober on the road like so many electric cars, especially from Asia, which are more concerned with getting there than looking good on the road, it still generated enthusiasm at the charging station.
That is because the 800-volt batteries have a higher charging capacity than the vast majority of competitors and only reach their peak at 215 kW in the basic model and 280 kW in the top version. With the exception of the Lucid Air and the new Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT models, none of them can currently compete – and the large Xpeng G9.
With it only taking 15 minutes at best to go from 20 to 80 per cent, it’s better to switch from cappuccino to espresso or drink your coffee at home. Because there, the G6 is the cosy kind and sucks the energy from the wall box charger at a maximum of 11 kW.
We have seen many Chinese cars come and go in recent years, and Xpeng must still manage to establish a comprehensive sales organisation in Europe. But with the Chinese tech giants DiDi and Alibaba in the background, VW as an investor and a standing plan for a classic dealer network instead of direct sales, the chances of this are perhaps better than for many other newcomers.
