Fresh wave of Chinese XPENG EVs to hit Aussie roads as BYD and Tesla face new turf war: 'Growing demand'
Another Chinese-made electric car brand has vowed to disrupt the already-competitive Australian EV market currently dominated by Tesla and Chinese carmaker BYD. XPENG has claimed "growing demand" in Australia has warranted ramping up the delivery of its mid-size SUV to 1,000 a month from August.
TrueEV is exclusively importing XPENG to Australia and CEO Jason Clarke has claimed the brand will be "among the top five pure EV brands in Australia within the next three years", throwing down the gauntlet to current market leaders.
The G6 model costs between $54,800 and $59,800 depending on battery range.
Comparatively, BYD's newest SUV the Sealion 7 retails at $54,990 for its premium model, or $63,99 for the performance model.
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Clarke said there are already "thousands" of XPENG G6s on Australian roads, but the model has recently undergone several upgrades.
"We view this as an opportunity to demonstrate what the next generation of EVs can deliver in both technology and driver experience,” Clarke said.
“XPENG is at the frontier of AI and smart driving, and Australian drivers are responding to that in a big way.”
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There's a new rear end that has a ducktail spoiler and revised bumper, new wheel options and side mirrors, which flash blue when the car is operating in semi-autonomous mode, and a much bigger operating screen.
The original G6 sported a touchscreen that was 14.9 inches wide; however, this updated model now comes with a screen that's 15.6 inches wide.
It's also capable of travelling 45 kilometres further than its predecessor after its battery capacity was reportedly boosted from 66kWh to 68.5kWh.
However, the bigger version's battery has been cut from 87.5kWh to 80.8kWh, which equates to 25 kilometres less in range.
XPENG has plans to launch two more models, the G9 and X9, in Australia by the end of the year.
EV market in Australia a battle of two giants
Tesla still holds the crown in Australia, however it is coming up against some significant competition.
The carmaker accounted for 42 per cent of all EVs sold here in 2024, but its sales fell by 16.9 per cent compared to the year prior.
Back in 2023, it had a market share of nearly two-thirds.
The Model Y was the single best-selling EV in Australia last year, with more than 21,000 vehicles purchased.