Xpeng G6 News

It will come as no surprise that 2025 was a massive year for new-model launches. The sheer number of new cars arriving in Australian showrooms has been unprecedented.

China’s XPeng has detailed its new vehicle launch plans for 2026.

The global boss and founder of XPeng, the eponymous He Xiaopeng, told Chinese media he believes Chinese cars are still ten or twenty years away from being truly of a global standard, despite the rapid uptake of Chinese vehicles around the world.In a wide-ranging round-table interview with Chinese media at the reveal of the next-generation XPeng P7, as published by Autohome, Xiaopeng earmarked his wants for the future of the company.Xiaopeng said “we need to focus on four things: first, technology; second, organisation; third, commercialization; and finally comprehensive global capabilities are crucial.”“This is extremely difficult. Many people say that China’s new energy vehicles [or NEVs, a collective term for hybrid and electric cars] are much better than before, but truly achieving globalization will require 10 or even 20 years of serious study.”When asked a follow-up question on how Chinese cars can break into the international mainstream consciousness as the also-China-based Labubu collectible plush toys have recently, Xiaopeng said it was “a difficult question” but that the previous P7 didn’t have the same impact globally that it had in China.“I don’t quite understand why Labubu has such emotional value globally”“Let me cite a failure example: our first-generation P7 launched overseas in 2021 and few users overseas found it attractive. I was quite surprised."European users believe no matter how beautiful a car is, it must also be family-friendly and have a trunk which must be large. They might go out and stock up with a week’s worth of groceries, so they need a huge trunk.”Therefore, China’s emotional values differ from global emotional values because they are related to local needs, culture, perceptions and thinking. They are completely different, we can’t use our emotional values to judge the world."When will China’s emotional values reach the global level? I believe that when Chinese culture, film and television can successfully reach the global market, then it will be possible. This is an arduous and long-term task, but we will definitely see it in our lifetime. We must work hard.”The new P7 will serve as XPeng’s new flagship model, with the brand spending big in the design department in the hopes that it will have anything but a derivative look. elevating it to a global standard. Xiaopeng explained his company is spending nearly two billion RMB (A$450 million) a year on design. Wang Tan, General Manager of the XPeng Motors Design Centre, said “we wanted to create a design language that would make people say ‘Wow! This is a daring-to-be-first design'. Our entire brand’s tone is daring to be first, and being an explorer of mobility".He added this is why the new P7 is trying something nearly entirely new and not carrying across elements of the previous-generation model.“If today’s designs still combine elements that are considered stable and conservative, then they are not innovative, creative, or original.”Part of the design ethos driving this design upheaval is also to create truly original Chinese designs, according to Tan, “I said Chinese people and Chinese cars can be original and pioneering.”“First and foremost, design itself is a part of the product’s identity, and must align with the brand identity which created it. XPeng is about pioneering.”Mr Xiaopeng may not be wrong. Prior to the rapid global expansion of Chinese brands, Korean giant Hyundai has enjoyed global popularity to go with other South Korean cultural exports like the KPop music phenomenon or popular movies and television like the Netflix series Squid Game.Korean companies followed in the footsteps of both vehicle and cultural exports from Japan which made it a global force that has only just started waning recently.However, Xiaopeng may also underestimate the Chinese car industry’s dominance. It is now by far the largest vehicle exporter in the world, having overtaken Japan, Mexico, Germany, South Korea and the United States since 2020.XPeng’s next move in Australia will be following up its G6 mid-size electric SUV with the X9 people mover and G9 large SUV before the end of the year, with a significant G6 update also due in the near future.It is also considering its options on the sedan front, with the low-cost Mona M03 seeming more likely for an Australian arrival than the flagship P7.

XPeng attended this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and in addition to showing off some new cars, it detailed some technical details about the forthcoming updated G6 electric mid-size SUV.

XPeng next to go fully factory backed?

The price for one of the best-reviewed Chinese electric SUVs in Australia could be about to fall dramatically, with the international pricing for the XPeng G6 lopping more than 10 per cent off its sticker price.

XPeng's incoming range of SUVs, people movers, and cars detailed.

Xpeng talks a big game on reviving the sedan and hatch segment with its Tesla Model 3-rivalling Mona M03.

After revealing the new G6 in teaser images, XPeng has detailed its deeply upgraded mid-size electric SUV, revealing its interior ahead of a March launch in China.The 2025 XPeng G6 facelift features a slightly revised exterior with new front lighting, fresh sets of wheels and a mildly tweaked tailgate with a new spoiler alongside a slew of new colour choices, but the biggest upgrades are under the skin and inside.Significant features inside include a larger set of screens, a 10.25-inch digital dash (up from 10.2 inches) and a 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen (up from 15 inches) with additional processing power thanks to a new Qualcomm 8295 processor.Styling wise, the interior features a new design motif, with new pattern-work for the speaker shrouds, while the shape of the steering wheel has also been tweaked.It also features capacitive functions for the steering wheel, a video-capable rear-vision mirror, a new ambient lighting feature, as well as ventilation, heating, and message functions for the front seats.The brand also promises some form of AI-integration and an upgraded array of self-driving technologies in order to rival Tesla’s controversial full self-driving (FSD) suite.Additionally, the standard-range 60kWh battery has been replaced by a 68.5kWh unit, offering an additional 70km of range (according to the CLTC measuring standards). It will maintain its 800-volt architecture, 280kW peak DC charging speed, and corresponding 10 to 80 per cent charge in around 20 minutes.There are further upgrades which are yet to be detailed. The brand’s founder, He Xiaopeng posted to Weibo that more details of the facelifted G6’s touted 81 feature upgrades would be revealed closer to its March launch in China.The car is also said to be physically 34 per cent new, suggesting further yet-to-be-detailed hardware upgrades, with the brand saying “more surprises” were in store for the mid-size SUV.The XPeng G6 only arrived in Australia in late 2024, priced from a keen $54,800 before on-road costs for the entry-level Standard Range.At the time it was an aggressive starting price to rival the Tesla Model Y, but the updated version of that car is set to arrive in Australia later this year starting from $63,400 before on-roads and incentives. Upgraded or not, the new G6 will also have to face new rivals in the form of the Geely EX5, Leapmotor C10, and incoming offerings from GAC.However, Chinese media is also reporting the new car could have a lower entry price than the outgoing version, with information leaked from Chinese dealer sources reportedly suggesting a circa-AU$4500 price cut in its home market. Whether this translates to a similar tweaked pricing structure in Australia remains to be seen.The brand has re-committed to an ongoing 10-year warranty locally, which was initially offered on a promotional basis.XPeng’s local expansion plans are confirmed to include its G9 large SUV and X9 people mover, although whether the P7 sedan and G7 Coupe SUV also join the line-up remains to be seen.

XPeng has only just started delivering its G6 mid-size electric SUV to customer hands, but a major facelift is already set to launch in its home market.