Xpeng G6 — More Tech Than a Tesla? – CleanTechnica

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Last Updated on: 15th February 2025, 01:16 am

Xpeng launched in Australia in Sydney two months ago. The cars are now making their way into the deep north, and lo and behold, one showed up at our coffee, cake and EVs morning and we had the opportunity to have a good gawk. Marc (the new owner) was proud as punch to show off his baby and even agreed to a demonstration of the power of his app. I think he does the same in shopping centre carparks to intrigue the locals. The Xpeng G6 reverse parks itself while he stands there with phone in hand.

At approximately AU$55,000 (US$35,000), the Xpeng prices itself between the Polestar 4 and the Leapmotor C10 that we have reviewed recently. Majella tells me that the Xpeng is certainly more luxurious and comfortable than our old Model 3. Sorry, Tess. She also compares it favourably to the BMWs we looked at a couple of weeks ago, and at half the price. The Xpeng G6 is approximately the same price as the Kia EV5 but has much more tech. It appears to be about the same size as a Model Y, but is $10,000 cheaper. Good value for money.

I smell a surge in the price wars! True EV is the exclusive importer, distributor & retailer in Australia.

When Majella got into the car, it spoke to her and said “Buckle up, let’s go.” It comes with easy access. She did have some trouble finding the door switch — it was hidden on the side of the door arm. The steering wheel only had voice commands, volume, and music pause, with two stalks — one for blinkers/wipers, the other for setting the gears. Having two screens — one behind the steering wheel and one to the left — is becoming her preferred option.

Marc has only had the car a few weeks and is very enthusiastic and keen to show it to people, especially reverse parking on autopilot. “I wish I had it when the kids were younger. No door dings. There would be no chance of hitting the car next to them in narrow parking situations.” See video. So far, Marc has driven 1000 km in urban settings. “I am yet to test the extra-urban driving.”

Marc is an adviser for a business insurance broker firm called About Risk. “My Xpeng G6 is used primarily to visit our clients, and for leisure, including towing my jet ski occasionally.” He bought the Long Range version and paid $59,800. This became $61,676, including on-road costs. “Xpeng did not apply any additional charge for paint colour or 20” wheels.” The Long Range has a range of about 700 km.

The Xpeng G6 has about 500 km of range, with sleek styling. Double rubber around the doors decreases the road noise. Under the bonnet there is room for a small frunk — you can purchase an aftermarket insert if you wish. In the boot was a tyre kit and charging cable. Marc enjoyed showing off his car to the EV community so much that he brought the Xpeng G6 to our sister coffee morning, on the south side of Brisbane, a week later. Once again, it was the star of the show. I was able to interrogate him a little more.

I asked him — what started your interest in the Xpeng?

“I inspected and drove numerous hybrids and BEVs over the past 5 years. Each vehicle was great in its own unique way and experiencing each vehicle helped me to better determine what vehicle size & features suited my personal needs. Until more recent years, Australia had few options that specifically addressed my requirements with respect to offering a mid-size SUV with ample space, technology, OTA updates, fast charging, spirited 200kW+ performance, minimum range of 550 km, and a budget of $70,000. Whilst I could see hybrid vehicles may be a fantastic transition vehicle for some people, I wanted to avoid buying another combustion engine. I realised that I was ready to make the leap directly to BEV.

“Despite the misinformation being circulated by some media sources, my research confirmed BEV technology was improving at an astonishing rate, including safety, range, performance, reliability, charging infrastructure, etc. I had convinced myself to believe it was only a matter of ‘when’ I will make this change. I continued watching my usual YouTube EV reviews and news (including The Electric Viking) and I became interested in China’s dominant force in the global EV market. This is where my interest in Xpeng began. In 2023, I became aware of Volkswagn Group’s attraction to Xpeng when they invested $700 million to purchase a 4.99% stake and enter a framework agreement on strategic technical collaboration. I knew this was the beginning of great things to come from the Xpeng brand.”

What did you cross shop before deciding on the G6?

“Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD 239 kW — a serious contender, as I loved the 800V architecture. The high price tag of $92,000 on-road was over my budget, & WLTP slightly under my requirement.

“Tesla Y — I was deterred due to high popularity, I wanted something different. Whilst I do like a minimalist interior, I felt it was too bare for me and lacked premium materials. I did not like the wheels, as they looked like cheap wheel covers. Cost was increasing as I included my preferred specs, such as 20” wheels. The Tesla charger network is not important to me, over 90% of my charging is from home solar.

“Skoda Enyaq Sportline 210 kW — I liked it! But, it was promised long ago. Will it ever make it to Australia? The high price tag of $75,000 on-road was slightly over my budget.

“BYD Sealion 7 Premium 230 kW — Great value. This was one of my final contenders up until BYD announced the Australian specs. I was deterred by heavy weight, lack of efficiency, and range.

“Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium 216 kW — High price tag of $87,000AUD on-road was over my budget.”

What was the buying experience like?

“I logged onto the website the day order taking went live in August 2024. I did not proceed as I became cold on the idea of ordering a vehicle brand that my family and friends had never heard of.”

But then…..

“I placed my G6 order online 11th Sept 2024 and took delivery on 20 January 2024 at Xpeng’s new Brisbane premises. As an early adopter, I had conditioned myself to lower my expectations regarding the entire buying & delivery process. The experience was what I expected from a ‘new kid on the block’. The lack of established service networks and customer support is evident, but my level of concern reduces as their framework continues to expand. I collected my vehicle from Xpeng’s Brisbane location, an unmarked building that consists of a high-bay warehouse with office/showroom space at the front. I was aware the proposed office and potential showroom was undergoing fit out, and the Cricks Highway staff were still bouncing between multiple locations. My vehicle was ready at the proposed time, the staff were neatly presented, professional, and helpful. The vehicle connectivity and overall handover process was seamless.” 

What about technology, especially compared to the Tesla?

“Self-parking: On several different occasions I tried to find the vehicle limitations by selecting difficult parking locations. I have tested poor lighting conditions in underground carparks, tight/obstructed parks with concrete posts over the line markings, faded and different colour line markings, etc. To date it has not failed! The Xpeng G6 has 800V architecture and can fast charge to 80% in 18 minutes. Android Auto and Waze App are supported.

“X-Combo feature allows users to automate recurring tasks in the car, I can customise to my specific requirements. One of the X-Combos that I have created is a verbal welcome message when I enter the vehicle and close the door. I have created 9 different welcome messages for the vehicle to play randomly, such as ‘Buckle up, Let’s go!’ The app offers a selection of popular pre-made X-Combos for added convenience, such as activating child locks when shifting into drive, simplifying daily routines. By accessing the Xpeng app on my mobile phone, I can create an X-Combo from anywhere. The Xpeng app is fantastic, and I also love that I am no longer required to carry a physical key or fob anymore.”

Marc believes that the Xpeng G6 has the following advantages over the Tesla Model Y:

• Faster charging speed capability, i.e. 10% to 80% in only 18 minutes.
• Greater range (i.e., WLTP 570 km)
• Ability to choose my preferred map for each journey, for example: ABRP App, Android Auto App, or Waze App.
• Other apps included.

Pros and cons? Of the experience so far:

“Amazing value!

• Mobile charger and Type2 to Type2 cable included.
• 10 year warranty on battery and 10 year warranty on vehicle.
• 1st annual service included ($280 saving).
• Insurance was cheaper compared with the Tesla. Surprisingly, it was cheaper than what I had paid for my other vehicles (Jaguar F-Pace 20d and Jeep Grand Cherokee).
• I would like to see a screen hibernation mode and wallpaper options.
• No glovebox. Whilst this does not concern me, it may concern other potential buyers. I believe the large amount of storage space in the centre console compensates for the loss of this compartment. These days, there are no physical logbooks and manuals to store, it’s all digital now [nor gloves for that matter].
• Excellent quality control — the panels are perfectly aligned and the gaps are even. The manufacturing quality appears much better compared to my previous vehicles, Jaguar F-Pace, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan 370Z, and Holden Commodore.”

What sort of reactions have you had?

“People have approached me to ask, ‘What is Xpeng?’ Others have commented, ‘the physical vehicle looks bigger and sportier than the online images and videos.’ Interestingly, this was also the first impression both my wife and I felt when we initially inspected the physical vehicle for the first time in Portugal last year. Heads turn when people see an unoccupied car self-parking.”

Marc certainly has the driving experience to make a considered decision. He tells me that he has driven:

• Tesla Model X, Model Y, Model 3
• Kia EV6, EV5, EV9
• Polestar 2
• Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium 216 kW
• Skoda Enyaq Sportline 210 kW
• BYD Atto 3, Seal
• Toyota BZ4X
• Subaru Solterra.

And inspected but not driven:

• Cupra Tavascan
• Polestar 4
• VW ID.4, ID.5
• BYD Sealion 7.

“I sold my Jaguar F-Pace to make the switch to a BEV, and I do not regret the sale. My Jaguar experienced many minor technical issues and I was forced to return the vehicle to the dealership many times to address both new and pre-existing issues. I believe most of these issues may have been rectified, or avoided, with OTA technology. I become aware of the benefits of OTA technology through a family member that owned a Tesla, I don’t recall him needing to take his Tesla back to the dealership. This was a turning point for me.

“Furthermore, the build quality was not what I expected from a new vehicle manufactured by a ‘prestige brand.’ My vehicle had uneven panel gaps and misaligned trim they refused to rectify. As you can imagine, I inspected the G6 thoroughly before I committed to the purchase (both in Portugal and Australia). I know it’s only early days of ownership, but my visual inspections confirm Xpeng’s build quality is far superior to Jaguar’s. There are many other features that are better than my Jaguar, such as/for example; the overall performance & handling, ventilated seats, and impressive technology in the glass roof. Unlike my Jaguar, I do not feel any heat from the Xpeng glass roof. This protection is important to me due to the extreme sun we receive. The total cost of my Xpeng G6 was almost $50,000 cheaper. Go figure!”

Welcome to the EV community, Marc — keep showing your car around! Does the Xpeng G6 have more tech than a Tesla? Check it out! The future is bright, electric, and teched up.