Chinese-made Xpeng G9 SUV with 702km range could be going into right-hand drive production.
Chinese carmaker Xpeng has launched a new electric SUV called the G9, claiming that it’s the fastest-charging production EV of its kind on the market with a maximum charging speed of 480kW – twice as fast as a Kia EV6 can charge.
However, that’s only when plugged into Xpeng’s own charging network, as even the fastest ultra-rapid chargers in Australia can’t get close to 480kW. If you were to find one though, a 10-80 per cent top-up would take just 15 minutes, or you could add 200km of range in as little as five minutes.
As is often the case with electric SUVs, there’ll be rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions. Rear-driven cars are offered in Standard Range and Long Range guises, offering a range of up to 570km and 702km respectively. Those figures are on China’s testing cycle though, which is often more lenient than Europe’s WLTP efficiency test.
Both come with a 230kW electric motor to drive the rear wheel and a 6.4-second 0-100km/h time, which is quicker than the Volkswagen ID 4 GTX takes to do the same sprint.
All-wheel-drive versions have a Performance powertrain, with two motors providing a total output of 405kW. The extra power drops the 0-100km/h time to just 3.9 seconds, but also reduces the G9’s range to 649km (again, on the Chinese test cycle). Seven drive modes are available, while air suspension is fitted as standard.
Inside, there’s a minimalist dashboard featuring a trio of screens, including a configurable one for the front passenger. There’s also wireless phone charging and a 28-speaker, 2250W sound system. Xpeng says the G9 has been built to score five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing, and there’s a whole host of driver assistance features courtesy of LiDAR sensors and myriad cameras.
The G9 might be Xpeng’s biggest car, but it’s only a five-seater. This does create a large boot; at 660 litres, it’s nearly 200 litres more than you get in a Nissan Ariya. We’re told that the rear seats are adjustable for comfort, too, but fold the rear seats down and get up to 1576 litres of space to play with.
Xpeng has confirmed that the G9 will come to Europe in 2023, with Norway looking likely as the first country to receive it. Plans for right-hand drive production launch are being considered, but it will likely hit the UK before considering Australia.
Ben Custard