Xpeng's new flagship comes with a range of 750 kilometers, a 10-80 percent charge in twelve minutes, and acceleration in under four seconds. Price? Less than a well-equipped BMW X5. And that's just the beginning of the story.
There's an old joke that the Chinese copy everything they touch. The problem with this joke is that it's as outdated as a carburetor. Look Xpeng GX, the new flagship of the Chinese electric car manufacturer, and you'll notice two things. First, it resembles a Range Rover. And second, it's better than the original in many ways. They're probably pouring themselves another whiskey at Solihull right now.
A giant who stands behind no one
Let's start with the numbers, because they are impressive on this car. The Xpeng GX measures 5,265 mm in length, 1,999 mm in width and 1,800 mm in height, with wheelbase 3,115 mmFor fans of imperial measurements: 207 inches long and 123 inches wheelbase. That is longer than a Range Rover and just a little shorter than the American Chevrolet Tahoe.
A new platform is hiding under the skin SEPA 3.0, which Xpeng calls “Physical AI.” A marketing term for an 800-volt architecture with enough AI to run a small bank. You’ll see why.
Interestingly, despite weighing almost three tons, the GX behaves masterfully in the wind tunnel. With expensive coefficient 0.255 It's more aerodynamically efficient than a Toyota Prius, which has a 0.27. Think about it for a moment. A three-ton refrigerator on wheels with less drag than the world's most recognizable hybrid. Chinese engineers have clearly been drinking a lot of energy drinks.
Drive: choose your flavor
Xpeng GX offers two philosophies, and both are compelling.
Fully electric version (BEV) comes in two flavors. The rear-wheel drive version has a single engine with 270 kW (362 hp) and a 110 kWh NMC battery from CALB. The range according to the Chinese CLTC cycle is 750 km (466 miles), which is so much that you will probably get tired in front of the car. The cheaper 91.9 kWh LFP battery offers 655 km (407 miles) and it sounds like a very reasonable compromise.
The AWD version adds a 160 kW motor to the front. This brings the total to 430 kW (577 hp) and 695 Nm of torque (513 lb-ft). Acceleration from 0-100 km/h in under four seconds. For comparison: the Ferrari 360 Modena took 4.5 seconds to reach “hundreds”. The Chinese six-seat SUV for a family of four with grandma and grandpa accelerates faster than the Italian supercar from the 2000s, which is probably a sign that we live in bizarre times. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 200 km/h (124 mph), which is enough for anyone who doesn't live next to a German autobahn.
Extended-Reach Version (EREV) is an even more interesting story. Under the hood we find a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with 110 kW (148 hp), which acts exclusively as a generator. It never drives the wheels, not even for a second. The drive is provided by two electric motors: 210 kW (282 hp) at the front, 160 kW (215 hp) at the rear. With a 63.3 kWh CALB LFP battery, we get 430 km (267 miles) completely fossil-free and combined range 1,585 km (985 miles). This is the distance from Ljubljana to Lisbon with one stop for an espresso.
Charging that puts the competition in a corner
“From 10 to 80 percent in less than twelve minutes.”
That's how Xpeng describes the capabilities of its 800V system with 5C ultra-fast charging. That's faster than Zoran at the local pizzeria makes you a capricciosa. Silicon carbide technology here does a job that would have been ashamed of just ten years ago.
Interior: a cabin that smells of the future
First of all, I greet you. 17.3-inch 3K center display, a narrow instrument panel strip and an upgraded AR-HUD. The steering wheel is two-spoke and this is where the magic begins. It is controlled steer-by-wire, which means there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels. Just electricity, signals and some Chinese confidence.
The system allows turning circle of only 5.2 meters, which is downright magical for a 5.27-meter-long leviathan. Of course, the rear-wheel steering also helps. The result: on the narrow streets of Ljubljana or in old garages in Vienna, you will no longer look like the captain of the Titanic in the Ljubljanica.
The seating arrangement is classic Chinese premium. 2+2+2, six seatsThe second row has zero-gravity seats with electric footrests, developed in collaboration with Nissan. The third row has independent headrests and can be fully reclined. Heating, ventilation and massage are available in the front and in the second row. Open-pore wood, soft leather and suede give the feel of a boutique hotel in Shanghai, only here the driver does not need a credit card.
Robotaxi in civilian clothes
The GX is Xpeng's first production car, ready for L4 autonomous driving. Under the hood is hidden 3,000 TOPS of computing power via four proprietary chips Turing AI. System Second generation VLA supports advanced assistance features. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) works up to 150 km/h, automatic obstacle avoidance up to 130 km/h, even on icy surfaces.
Braking distance from 100 km/h is 34.4 meters, which is excellent in the mid-size SUV class. And since you'll probably be controlling more than driving, this fact will come in handy.
Positioning: King without a crown
Xpeng GX enters the segment that is currently the toughest in the world. Competition? Li Auto L9, AITO M9, NIO ES9, Zeekr 9X, BYD Great Tang, Denza N9, Leapmotor D19 and dozens of others. China's electric car scene is so brutal that manufacturers are already fighting tooth and nail.
The price? 399,800 yuan, which is about 58,000 US dollars or around 52,000 euros. Xpeng says the name “GX” means “Great Explore”, which is a marketing ploy that I can't fault anyway, because the car is truly big.
If it comes to Australia, the price is expected to be around 100,000 AUD. Still significantly less than the Range Rover, BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS or Audi Q8. Imagine: six seats, 750 km range, twelve-minute charging and acceleration under four seconds for the price of a Bavarian “premium” mid-range SUV. Reality or science fiction?
Conclusion: When East Overtakes West
The Xpeng GX is something that would have been considered a fantasy ten years ago. That a Chinese brand, founded only in 2014, would introduce an SUV with L4 autonomy, drive-by-wire, twelve-minute charging, and a design that respectfully nods to British aristocracy, all for half the price of a Range Rover, sounded like a script for a science fiction movie in 2015.
But the year is 2026 and this movie is being shown in a theater.
Of course, the GX is not flawless. The CLTC test cycle is as generous as grandma's lunch, and the actual range is likely to be 15 to 20 percent less. Long-term reliability remains to be proven. A service network in Europe is more promise than fact for now. There are already rumors among Chinese buyers that 400,000 yuan is "a bit too high," which says a lot about the price madness that reigns in the East.
But one thing is clear. Xpeng GX is not a car that can be ignored for long. It is a warning shot that is echoing around the world. European manufacturers will have to hurry up, lower prices, improve software, or accept that the next decade will be shaped by the Eastern Hemisphere.
If you get the chance to test drive the GX, take it. It's probably the most authentic representation of where automotive is headed in the second half of this decade. And if nothing else, you'll recognize its final light signature from low orbit.
