But who wouldn’t want to trade places with the number 1?
We drive the third Xpeng model that will come to the Netherlands: the G6. It is ready to compete with the Tesla Model Y. Of course the Tesla Model Y, because what brand wouldn’t want to trade places with the best-selling EV in the world?
It is not due to the ambitions, it is noticeable when visiting Xpeng in China. Although the range now has a few models – exactly two in the Netherlands – the brand is prepared for rapid expansion. New cars are built on our own scalable platform, which is suitable for cars with a wheelbase of 1.80 to 3.20 meters. This allows future models to be developed very quickly, in all kinds of classes. The brand claims that from idea to production it only takes 24 months.
Is the Xpeng G6 cheaper or more expensive than a Tesla Model Y?
The success of the Tesla Model Y is of course not lost on anyone. And there is a lot of discussion about the prices of Chinese cars, so let’s start by telling you what it will cost. The entry-level model is eligible for SEPP purchase subsidy, because the base price is €44,211. For the other versions, read here. That is competitive, because the Tesla Model Y today starts at 45,990 euros, after prices were recently increased slightly.
What can we expect in terms of technology?
The Xpeng G6 comes to the Netherlands with two battery packs: as a Standard Range with a 66 kWh LFP battery pack and as a Long Range with an NCM battery with a capacity of 87.5 kWh. The Xpeng G6 is available as a rear-wheel drive RWD Standard Range with 258 hp and has 30 hp more as a Long Range. The WLTP range is then 435 km for the Standard Range and 570 for the Long Range. The top version is the Xpeng G6 AWD Performance. Only with the large battery, with two electric motors that together deliver 476 hp. This most powerful version reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in 4 seconds. Its range: 550 kilometers.
The platform has 800V on-board voltage, which means the G6 can fast charge in the Netherlands with a maximum of 280 kW. In its home country of China, the Xpeng G6 can charge at a bizarre speed of 480 kW at Xpeng fast chargers. That charging speed is still passing us by.
How does the Xpeng G6 drive?
We drove that Performance, but the circumstances of the first introduction did not call for that almost 500 hp. Not by a long shot, we were driving on a vast industrial estate with straight roads and an official speed limit of 40 km/h. So we have to be very careful with the first conclusions. Fortunately, we will drive the car again in a month, but this time in the Netherlands. Our first impressions are that it has firm suspension, as you often see with EVs, and has light steering. A little more feeling about what is happening at the front wheels would be appropriate. You can also choose a heavier setting via the extensive multimedia system. But heavier does not equal more feeling.
How practical is it?
The interior space is excellent, and you also have plenty of space on the back seat. The luggage compartment with a capacity of over 500 liters is quite deep, but not high. And that curved roofline in combination with the crooked C-pillars ensures that rearward visibility is poor.
According to good Chinese custom, you control all the car’s functions via a large screen in the center. There was no Dutch or English version available in our car, so not much can be said about the logic and user-friendliness, but even the mirror adjustment is included.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl