Less than a month after commencing production of its new coupe SUVs in China, XPeng Motors has officially unveiled its latest model, the G6. With a price tag below $30,000, XPeng aims to position the G6 as a formidable rival to the Tesla Model Y and numerous other EVs in the Chinese market. This launch carries significant importance for the automaker, as it seeks to strengthen its sales performance in its home country, which has been less than stellar in recent times.
At the heart of the G6 lies XPeng Motors’ SEPA 2.0 modular EV architecture, a next-generation 800 V Silicon Carbide (SiC) platform. This platform serves as the foundation for XPeng’s upcoming lineup of EVs, capable of accommodating various wheelbases from 1,800 mm to 3,200 mm, and scalable to support a wide range of vehicle types, including coupes, sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, SUVs, multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), and even pickups.
Debuting in April beneath the G6 coupe SUV, the platform garnered attention with impressive specifications, promising a range of 469 miles and fast charging in as little as 10 minutes. Production of the G6 began shortly after, signaling that deliveries were imminent.
In mid-June, XPeng Motors started accepting pre-orders for its next-generation SUV, initially announcing a price range between RMB 200,000 and 300,000 ($28,500-$42,650). This generated over 25,000 pre-orders within the first 72 hours, showcasing encouraging consumer interest for an automaker striving to establish a strong foothold in the highly saturated Chinese EV market. Furthermore, the pricing ended up being even lower than the initial promise.
| G6 Trim | 580 Long Range Pro | 580 Long Range Max | 755 Super Long Range Pro |
755 Super Long Range Max |
700 4WD Performance Max |
| Drivetrain | Single RWD | Single RWD | Single RWD | Single RWD | Dual AWD |
| Torque | 440 Nm/ 218 kW | 440 Nm/ 218 kW | 440 Nm/ 218 kW | 440 Nm/ 218 kW | 660 Nm/ 358 kW |
| Range (CLTC) | 580 km (360 mi) | 580 km (360 mi) | 755 km (469 mi) | 755 km (469 mi) | 700 km (435 mi) |
| Top Speed | 202 km/h (125.5 mph) | 202 km/h (125.5 mph) | 202 km/h (125.5 mph) | 202 km/h (125.5 mph) | 202 km/h (125.5 mph) |
| Acceleration (0-100 km/h) |
6.6 sec | 6.6 sec | 5.9 sec | 5.9 sec | 3.9 sec |
| Price | RMB 209,900 ($28,940) | RMB 229,900 ($31,700) | RMB 234,900 ($32,390) | RMB 254,900 ($35,150) | RMB 276,900 ($38,180) |
On June 28, XPeng Motors’ chairman and CEO, He Xiaopeng, revealed that the G6 had received over 35,000 pre-orders. The automaker officially launched its new SUV in China today, unveiling details and pricing for five different trims, with the possibility of delivering reservations as early as July.
XPeng Motors hosted a launch event in China, marking the debut of the G6 SUV ahead of its scheduled deliveries next month. The vehicle incorporates cutting-edge technology and represents XPeng’s golden opportunity in the market. CEO He Xiaopeng commented on the occasion, stating, “XPeng G6 embodies our unwavering commitment to technology innovation and reaffirms our mission to lead the mobility transformation. We believe that our forward-looking technology roadmap and vision for making innovative technology accessible to the mass market firmly position XPeng as an industry trendsetter and leader in customer satisfaction.”
The G6 is equipped with XPeng’s full-scenario ADAS XNGP, which the automaker proudly declares as “the most advanced and capable in China.” Enabled by XPeng’s BEV+Transformer-based deep visual neural network, XNet, this represents a first in China. The XPeng SUV boasts 31 smart sensors, including two LiDARs at the front, and a total computing power of up to 508 TOPS, thanks to two NVIDIA DRIVE Orin-X chips.
With these advanced features in place, XPeng claims that the G6 already possesses an advanced form of driver assistance systems (ADAS), even before fully autonomous driving becomes a reality in the industry. The vehicle is prepared to handle such functions if and when they are certified and implemented.
The G6’s highlights include an integrated aluminum die-casted body for both the front and rear, a first claimed by XPeng in China. This design reduces weight while increasing body rigidity by up to 83% compared to traditional designs. The lighter weight contributes to the G6 achieving an impressive range of up to 755 km (469 miles, based on the CLTC standard). As promised, the SUV’s 800 V SiC platform and 3C battery enable 300 km (186 miles) of range to be attained in just 10 minutes using an XPeng S3/S4 DC fast charger.
Inside the G6, XPeng introduces its latest operating system, Xmart OS 4.0, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset and displayed on a 15-inch touchscreen. The vehicle offers a “GPT-like” human-machine interaction using XPeng’s full-scenario voice assistant 2.0.
XPeng Motors has launched five distinct trims of the G6, including two “Pro” versions and three “Max” versions. The pricing of the G6 is particularly competitive, with even the highest-tier trim converting to well under $40,000. By comparison, the Tesla Model Y starts at RMB 263,900 ($36,385) and reaches up to RMB 363,900 ($50,175) for the performance edition.
XPeng’s chairman expressed confidence that the G6 will become the best-selling electric SUV in China, priced around RMB 250,000, within two months. This suggests that XPeng may not be directly targeting the Model Y but rather aims to outperform Tesla by offering more features at a lower price.
The success of XPeng Motors’ strategy will become clearer as official sales gain traction and deliveries commence in China. It is worth noting that the G6 was designed to meet both Chinese and European five-star safety standards, with the company planning to begin delivering the SUV in the EU next year.