New XPeng G9 electric SUV arrives in Europe with 354-mile range

Shanghai brand XPeng has confirmed specs and European pricing for its a new flagship SUV, called G9. And the car could land in the UK by 2025.

The new model shares underpinnings with the revised P7 saloon – XPeng’s own Edward platform for larger vehicles – but the G9 gets updated electrics for faster charging. The SUV is 4.8 metres long, so slightly longer than the BMW iX3 and Kia’s EV6 – and has a wheelbase that’s also up on those models’, measuring 2,998mm.

It comes in three configurations. Standard Range has a single rear-mounted motor and an LFP-chemistry battery with a nominal capacity of 78.2kWh (around 75kWh net). That’s enough, XPeng claims, for a WLTP range of up to 460km, or 286 miles. The motor produces 308bhp and 430Nm of torque, taking the 2,235kg vehicle from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds. The maximum recharging speed is 260kW.

There are two versions of the G9 featuring a larger NCM-chemistry battery with a capacity of 98kWh (93kWh usable). The rear-drive version has the same motor as the standard-range version but can travel up to 354 miles on a single charge – while also offering a slightly higher maximum recharge rate, at 300kW. This is enough, XPeng claims, for the car to add 60 miles of range in five minutes, or go from 10 per cent to 80 per cent of capacity in 20 minutes, when connected to a fast enough charge point.

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The G9 AWD Performance, meanwhile, features the same battery and charging rates but gets an additional front motor for a combined output of 543bhp and 717Nm. It can reach 62mph in 3.9 seconds but the extra pace does eat into range, so it offers up to 323 miles.

XPeng is pitching the vehicle as a rival for premium models, and the cabin gets lots of technology in a bid to stand out from the German competition. There’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel but the overall fascia is dominated by a pair of 14.96-inch infotainment displays. The left-hand screen is always visible by all occupants, but the right-hand panel uses filtering technology to stay dimmed to the driver. XPeng says this means the front passenger can watch media and play games while the vehicle is on the move.

The G9 is being launched across Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. The prices for the last of those markets start at 57,990 euros, or around £51,000, rising to 71,990 euros (£63,000) for the AWD Performance. XPeng says there will be relatively few options, so elements like the full-length panoramic glass roof, the heat pump, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and soft-close doors are standard across the range.

The firm is being coy on plans for right-hand-drive production, beyond saying that the UK is a “major market that is on the radar”. XPeng is expected to focus on its initial EU markets for the next year to 18 months, though, making sales to British customers unlikely before the start of 2024 at the earliest.

As part of its initial European launch program, XPeng has confirmed that the G9 and updated P7 will get a five-year, fully transferrable warranty as standard – but that this will be extended to seven years for all orders received between now and the end of 2023.

Click here for our list of electric cars with the longest range...