XPeng G6 Performance - a top-shelf Chinese car
The Chinese XPENG G6 stands for good, modern design, an unusual battery and a sense of luxury. There are, however, a few things that could do with improvement.
We are still “learning” about the Chinese car industry, which is storming the Polish market. It is worth starting with what kind of company XPENG is. It was founded quite recently, in 2014. It is one of China's leading electric vehicle manufacturers, with production plants in Zhaoqing and Guangzhou (China) and offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Silicon Valley and Amsterdam. In Poland, XPENG currently has 5 showrooms: in Warsaw, Poznań, Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk and Katowice.
LFP battery, range and drive modes
It is worth noting the modern powertrain of the car we tested, including the “5C Supercharging AI Battery”. The manufacturer stresses that this LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery is based on an 800V architecture and free of metals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, which enables ultra-fast charging and a long service life, while charging to 100% in any conditions has no adverse side effects. Only after years of use will we find out whether the battery's lifespan really has been extended by 30%. The new 80.8 kWh unit replaces the previously used 87.5 kWh lithium-ion (NMC) battery. The car has a homologated range of 535 km, and it can calculate the actual range dynamically or refer to the WLTP data.
The driver can choose from four drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual, and each of them can be customised in four categories, one of which is the level of regenerative braking.
Interior, equipment and the Black Edition
The XPENG G6 is already the next generation of the model. The car we tested has undergone a thorough overhaul: 34% of the key components have been completely redesigned, and 60% of the changes concern the interior, which is meant to translate into a more luxurious cabin and more intuitive, comfortable use. These changes deserve credit, but at the same time some functional shortcomings should be pointed out. The manufacturer has dropped the usual glovebox in front of the passenger seat. Open the armrest and you will find a huge space, but it would benefit from being divided into smaller sections, for example with a small hidden tray just below the armrest lid. The dedicated cupholder area has no closing cover, which somewhat spoils the very sleek, elegant interior design.
A Black Edition version has been introduced, featuring black exterior details and 20-inch wheels, also in black. There are also new colour options, including the eye-catching “Stellar Purple”.
The cabin features a dashboard finished with wooden elements, a suede-textured headliner and redesigned speaker grilles. Other improvements include softer wireless charging pads, new materials on the A- and B-pillars, a digital rear-view mirror, a newly designed steering wheel and manually adjustable air vents. Using the digital mirror takes some getting used to. Your eyes adapt more slowly, and you cannot check your reflection in this kind of “mirror”. The changes are rounded off by ambient lighting in the doors and on the dashboard.
The boot holds 571 litres as standard, and with the seats folded the capacity increases to 1374 litres. It is worth highlighting the heated seats in both rows, while the front seats are also ventilated and have a massage function. Despite the heat pump, which is supposed to warm up the cabin faster, the passengers' thermal comfort is not very high. This is because the seat and steering wheel heating is very slow to kick in.
The car is controlled via a 15.6-inch screen, supported by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, which has a very good resolution that makes up for the very small font.
Test summary
To sum up, the XPENG G6 Performance is a car that shows how quickly the Chinese car industry is developing and how ambitiously it wants to compete with European manufacturers. Its modern 800 V architecture, fast charging, rich equipment and clear emphasis on comfort and design make it a vehicle from a segment aspiring to the premium class. At the same time, there is no shortage of small details that need refining, mainly in terms of interior practicality and thermal comfort. If, however, the manufacturer keeps developing its technology and listens to user feedback, the XPENG G6 has a chance to become a very serious player in the European electric car market.
