On the road in Laois: Chinese motoring brands grow in Ireland with XPENG

XPENG is yet another new manufacturer from China that has now arrived on our shores. We already have MG, Polestar, and BYD, and more are sure to follow. Equipped with a range of new features and new ‘know-how’ – much of it a product of their widespread use of AI technology in its development – the G6 Coupé SUV comes in three model variants: a ‘Standard’ range model and a ‘Long Range’ model (both with rear-wheel drive), and a ‘Performance’ model (with permanent all-wheel drive).
The Performance model will arrive here in Q3 of this year with both Standard and Long Range models available now for customer delivery. In this week's motoring column I am road testing the new “standard” model XPENG G6 rear wheel drive.

First Impressions
The new XPENG G6 has quite a distinctive shape with a sleek profile and lovely two tone alloy wheels. From the front the full width light strip across the front and the rear light design look quite good but to the side there is a huge slab of bodywork that make it look quite bulky.

So what’s it like inside?
 What is going on with car design? The inside of these new electric vehicles is becoming virtually identical. Bland, no character and all the very same design, a small screen for driver information and a huge screen for everything else including a host of stuff no one needs or wants! So it is with the new XPENG G6. A small Digital screen in front of the driver has driver info with digits that are almost too small to read such as trip info and tyre pressures. Yet we then have a huge central screen that controls everything else. Sadly not a real button in sight!

There is plenty of space front and back. In fact it's huge inside with an incredible amount of leg and headroom both front and rear. Standard kit includes 20-inch alloys with Michelin tyres, a large panoramic glass roof, multi-adjustable, heated and leatherette-covered seats all around, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, four USB ports, two 50W induction charging points for smartphones, a 960W audio system with 18 speakers, and an extensive library of music, video, entertainment and social media apps. So it's well equipped for sure.

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What powers the XPENG G6?
The G6 is powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor with 0-100km/h times rated at 6.9 seconds. With a claimed WLTP range of 435 km power comes from a 66kWh battery producing 190 kW driving the rear wheels via an electric motor. Over my weeks road test like most EVs it did not manage anywhere near 400km. I started with a charge of 96% and a predicted range of 337km. I achieved 263km leaving 20km before needing to charge.

How does it drive?
I truly struggle to differentiate the driving characteristics of one EV from another. They all drive the same and it's easy to understand why. After all they are all a platform carrying a heavy battery, powering and electric motor which drives either two or four wheels. It's no wonder they all feel the same and so it is with the XPENG G6.
It's big, it's heavy and like all other EVs it goes from A to B just fine but you will never say it's joy to drive. It handles reasonably well but you do feel that mass on corners while the suspension feels a tad firm on poor road surfaces.

Hugh’s Verdict
The new XPENG G6 is a big, roomy, comfortable electric SUV. It is well priced too at €42,000. What it may lack in character it more than makes up for in interior space and standard equipment.