2027 XPeng Mona L03 spotted testing in Australia ahead of the BYD Atto 3 and Geely EX5 rival’s local launch

XPeng’s new segment-bending Mona L03 SUV has been caught testing in Australia just after going on sale in China.

Spotted by CarsGuide’s own Byron Mathioudakis on Victoria's Great Ocean Road, the SUV remains heavily camouflaged but still identifiable as the L03 thanks to its partially exposed signature front headlights, tail-lights that form part of its rear spoiler piece and partially exposed alloy wheels with XPeng logos.

Glimpses of a steering wheel on the right-hand side can be identified, which is the first time the L03 has ever been spotted in this configuration.

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The L03 sits below XPeng’s only current model in Australia, the G6 mid-sizer SUV, which competes with the Tesla Model Y. The L03 will compete with more affordable SUVs such as the Geely EX5 (from $41,990), BYD Atto 3 (from $39,990) and GAC Aion V (from $42,590).

It shares a familiar minimalist interior treatment to many of its Chinese contemporaries, with modern touches like a large central multimedia touchscreen, oval steering wheel and floating central console, with its key differentiator being its slinky fastback-style rear.

The L03 is available overseas in electric form, with a 183kW/280Nm rear-mounted motor and either a 56kWh or 69kWh battery pack for up to 625km of range, according to lenient Chinese standards.

A range-extender hybrid model will follow, using a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a 37.2kWh battery pack.

2027 XPeng Mona L03 camouflaged - credit: Byron Mathioudakis

The L03 was spotted alongside another unknown XPeng model, which appears to be a hatchback or crossover. It could be a third member of the Mona family, with the L03 being an SUV and the M03 being a sedan.

It stands to reason that XPeng would launch a hatchback as the brand has been active in the European market for some time. It would follow in the footsteps of the original MG4, Leapmotor's B05 hatchback, both created specifically for the European market, or BYD and its Euro-focused plug-in hybrid derivatives of the Atto 1 and Atto 2.

The M03 sedan has been previewed in Australia in left-hand-drive form under XPeng’s previous distributor, and has gone on to become a popular low-cost vehicle in China, but it is unclear whether XPeng’s new factory-backed operation will follow through with plans to launch it in Australia now the company’s model range has evolved overseas.

2027 XPeng hatchback prototype - credit: Byron Mathioudakis

The freshly spotted car seems to have more in common with the SUV design, featuring a bar-style tail-light rather than the individual light clusters of the M03 sedan, while its hatch-style tailgate is a new profile for the brand.

CarsGuide understands the L03 is due in Australia in 2027, and the spotted SUV is likely undergoing validation testing for the Australian market.

The hatchback model is likely undergoing initial testing and will launch further down the track.