'Its real proof that the company wants to be more than a "Temu Tesla". It wants to usurp it Ive driven the new Xpeng G6 and it's more of a Tesla rival than ever, but its not perfect yet

Date:
Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
In less than a year, Xpeng updated its Tesla-rivaling G6 model with over 20,000 incremental developments and Ive driven it

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter At the launch of the Euro-focused Xpeng G6 in a storm-battered Portugal, representatives of the brand were on hand and keen to press journalists and influencers for their thoughts on the car that the company hoped would steal the Tesla Model Ys thunder in Europe.

In a situation like this, its common to default to short but sweet answers, keeping them relatively generic so as not to offend anyone and saving the really juicy stuff for the resulting article. But thats not what Xpeng wanted to hear.

Its crew of engineers wanted real talk on the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), the ride comfort, the quality of the interior and the capabilities of its myriad advanced safety systems they wanted the good, the bad and the
ugly. Latest Videos From You may like Watch out, Tesla Rivian's new Model Y rival is getting glowing reviews The MG S5 is the SUV follow-up to one of the best EVs on the road but is it anywhere near as charming? I've driven the
new Renault Twingo and it's compact EV perfection (Image credit: Xpeng) Fast-forward less than a year and it becomes clear as to why our small group was quizzed for such answers, as a revised model landed in the UK sporting no fewer than 20,000 incremental developments, fresh battery chemistry, faster charging times and improved performance. Not wanting to be left behind by Teslas recent Highland refresh , even the interior underwent some relatively seismic changes to improve the overall ambience, making it feel like a more premium proposition a bit like Tesla did.

Where legacy automakers typically adhere to a seven-year lifecycle, where models might receive an update or facelift three or four years after the vehicle first enters mass production, Chinese manufacturers seemingly play by a different set of rules.

The updated Xpeng G6 is real proof of China's speed and real proof that the company wants to be more than a Temu Tesla. It wants to usurp it. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Fresh styling (Image credit: Xpeng) The model that Xpeng is pushing in the UK and the one I recently drove is the All-Wheel-Drive Performance Black Edition that, quite predictably, mixes potent dual motors with sporty touches that help it keep
up with those performance-orientated models from another well-known EV brand.

In fact, the 480bhp produced by the system is capable of propelling the shapely SUV from 0-62mph in a shade over four seconds, which would see it
just about hold its own against a Model Y Performance.

You also get striking 20-inch alloy wheels, a smoked black exterior trim and
a more subdued grey-tone interior that is upholstered in a soft touch suede for a more premium and performance-orientated ambience. What to read next Ive driven the Porsche Macan GTS and it's the most engaging Macan yet Come on, China the Range Rover clones have to stop I didnt think the Hyundai Ioniq 5
N could get much better until I drove the 6 N

Its not offensive in any way, but it's a shame Xpeng didnt carve out its own distinct design direction when it entered Europe For an outfit that wants to be known as a tech company that also makes cars, it comes as no surprise that this updated version also comes with a full-width light-bar although this
time its at the front, as opposed to Teslas rear.

The refresh makes the vehicle look more futuristic and tech-focused, but it also feels very generic.

Its not offensive in any way, but it's a shame Xpeng didnt carve out its own distinct design direction when it entered Europe.

With European brands such as Renault, Mini and Peugeot all pushing for unique styling that often nod to the past, the Xpeng feels very much like an appliance. Changes under the skin (Image credit: Xpeng) As previously mentioned, Xpeng says it has employed some 20,000 intelligent refinements
over its predecessor, with things like chassis and suspension tuning tweaked to better handle the UKs rutted roads, improved sound deadening and more predictable powertrain behavior.

In essence, much of the feedback from the initial European car launch likely surrounded the way it drove and handled, with Xpeng subsequently tweaking things to address this.

As a result, the accelerator now pedal feels more predictable and allows for better modulation, while the suspension set-up feels a little firmer for improved body control through corners.

Theres still a distinct lack of feeling through the steering wheel and
firming it up through the central touchscreen still makes it feel overly heavy, but the overall ambience in the cockpit is improved thanks to the work on noise, vibration and harshness, particularly at highway speeds. (Image credit: Xpeng) The cabin has undergone some of the most sizable changes, with the dashboard and pillars now trimmed in more premium feeling leather-effect material, an optimized steering wheel design (although I couldnt tell the difference) and ambient lighting throughout the cabin.

Occupants in the rear still get masses of head and leg room, while the huge amount of glass makes the cabin feel airy and spacious... like a Tesla.

Those sitting in the front are also treated to swanky new seats that feature heating, ventilation and massaging functionality. Apologies if the parallels with a certain Californian EV company are getting boring, but yes, this is exactly what happened with the recent Model 3 and Model Y . Smoother technology (Image credit: Xpeng) The previous generation G6 impressed me with its battery technology, offering 354-miles of range from the larger battery pack and an 800V architecture that facilitates the sort of ultra-rapid charging that Tesla is yet to roll out.

That said, Xpeng has gone with a new 80.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery in the update, eliminating the need for precious metals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, it claims.

Xpeng has gone with a new 80.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery in the update, eliminating the need for precious metals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, it claims As a result, range is down to 316-miles in the AWD Performance model on the official WLTP cycle, while RWD Long Range variants get a max range of 326-miles, which generally feel like more realistic
numbers anyway.

This new chemistry does allow for a peak charging power of 451kW, seeing off 10-80% top-ups in as little as 12 minutes from the appropriate outlets.

Thats up there with some of the fastest charging cars currently on sale in Europe, marking it out as a clear leader in its segment.

The Xmart operating system has also received an upgrade, with a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chipset improving the speed and responsiveness of the infotainment system. New features, same problems (Image credit: Xpeng) While the improvements in cabin quality and a reduction in charging times are both welcome, many of the other updates have had very little impact on the way the G6 drives or feels like to live with everyday.

It remains massively roomy, nicely airy inside and very easy to hop in and drive, but it does very little else beyond that.

Theres absolutely no emotion here, very little driver engagement and the
added performance of the, erm, Performance edition is a waste of money,
unless you really enjoy going very fast in a straight line. (Image credit: Xpeng) Sure, the infotainment might be slicker to operate, but it also
remains deeply frustrating to use at times, with simple functionality buried within submenus. Despite driving the original, I still couldnt fathom how to change the angle of the door mirrors.

Asking the Hey Xpengvoice assistant didnt help much either, as it didnt understand the term wing mirror, so I had to use several variations of this phrase until it took me to the correct menu.

The infotainment might be slicker to operate, but it also remains deeply frustrating to use at times It is a similar story with the numerous
autonomous driving and parking features that, on the whole, work fine but certainly not seamlessly. The Xpilot Driving aggressively tries to keep the car in a lane when activated, leading to a jerky feeling when traveling along the highway at speed.

Similarly, the autonomous parking typically picks out a space quickly, but then lacks the speed or finesse to execute the maneuver with confidence. So I stopped using it.

This latest iteration is tangibly better than its short-lived predecessor,
but it also possesses a lot of the same problems. With no real character of its own, it just looks like a cut-price Tesla, without the added bonus of
that marques extensive Supercharger network.

Again, its perfectly fine if you want to boycott Elon, or simply save some cash, but this is yet another Chinese EV that feels remarkably generic.
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/its-real-proof -that-the-company-wants-to-be-more-than-a-temu-tesla-it-wants-to-usurp-it-ive- driven-the-new-xpeng-g6-and-its-more-of-a-tesla-rival-than-ever-but-its-not-pe rfect-yet


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