Unexpected sighting of XPENG G6 in Aussie car park prompts BYD and Tesla buyers to 'hit pause'
Manufacturers like Tesla and BYD are soaring in popularity on our roads at the moment, but they are expected to face stiff competition from new arrival Xpeng.
A new and "exciting" electric vehicle is making its way Down Under, prompting some environmentally-conscious motorists to put on hold their EV purchase in anticipation of its impending arrival.
We know manufacturers like Tesla and BYD are soaring in popularity on Australian roads at the moment — the latter of which has particularly picked up steam among buyers in recent months — but now, another model is making waves and already piquing major interest before it's even available to buy.
The Chinese-owned Xpeng G6 electric SUV is being pegged as a "high-end" alternative to the Tesla Model Y and is set to debut on the Australian market in September. While the official price of the luxurious-looking vehicle has so far been kept under wraps, it's already been spotted locally — at a KFC car park in regional NSW, of all places.
Local man pivots to Xpeng after KFC discovery
Local man Justin Wakefield made the "striking" discovery last week when he was picking up his son from work, and told Yahoo News Australia that after stumbling across it, he's now in the market to buy.
"The car I saw was a striking vehicle in a very appealing colour," Wakefield told Yahoo. "I had not heard of Xpeng previously. I spoke with [the representative] who was driving from Victoria to Sydney. He was only too happy to have a chat about it — but he didn't mention the price.
"I saw online that you can order one, but pricing isn't released until September. I would need a price point — looking at specs and how appealing it seems, I would definitely consider one.
"I have just bought a Mitsubishi Exceed Tourer PHEV [a hybrid] and it is great. Our next car for my wife was going to be a BYD Seal but this has made us hit pause. The fact they are also testing the AWD Performance model (LHD) will also create a 'wait and see' approach."
Xpeng reps respond, confirm model on way
Yahoo News Australia tracked down the owner of that particular vehicle, which turned out to be electric vehicle authority and distributor True EV. A spokesperson said a senior team member was driving the Xpeng through Goulburn at the time, and they added that the vehicles will be available for delivery in the final quarter of 2024.
"TrueEV is now accepting online pre-orders for the XPENG G6 models," the spokesperson told Yahoo. "The XPENG G6 line-up includes two variants: the XPENG G6 Standard Range Battery and the XPENG G6 Long Range Battery."
Both models feature an 800V XPower electric drive system delivering impressive performance with a maximum power output of 190kw for the Standard and 210 kw for the Long Range variant, and a maximum torque of 440 Nm.
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The XPENG G6 Standard offers a WLTP driving range of 435 km, while the XPENG G6 Long extends this range to 570 km. Both variants feature rear-wheel drive and are available in a range of colours including Arctic White, Silver Frost, Graphite Grey, Midnight Black, and Fiery Orange.
Chinese-owned EVs 'unstoppable force' in Australia
Xpeng's arrival on Aussie shores show the Chinese EV market is "unstoppable", an industry expert says, and we can expect to see a whole lot more of them on our roads as time goes on.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Swinburne University's urban mobility professor Hussein Dia said many wouldn't consider the new Xpeng model affordable, but it will go a long way in increasing competition among manufacturers, which will in turn drive prices down eventually.
"There isn't really a price set for Australians just yet," Dia told Yahoo. "But in Hong Kong it's selling for around A$60,000. This is similar to some of the cars in that high-end category.
"Now that there is an oversupply of EVs, particularly in China — and Tesla has been dropping prices too — if the arrival of Xpeng sees prices drop 10 or 20 per cent, that's a good outcome for consumers."
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