The real Chinese Tesla - Right-hand drive Xpeng is confirmed for Malaysia
Sanjay · Mar 12, 2024 01:38 PM
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Xpeng G6 - the brand's first RHD model
Chinese carmaker Xpeng plans to enter the right-hand drive (RHD) market in the second half of this year, and Malaysia in that list, its CEO He Xiaopeng confirmed to the South China Morning Post in a written interview.
The Guangzhou-based carmaker, owned in part by the Volkswagen Group, aims to divest its models into RHD markets in Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Singapore too.
Currently, Xpeng cars are only available in left-hand drive and are majoritively sold in its home market of China.
“In tandem with Xpeng’s go-global 2.0 strategy, we have formed partnerships with an increasing number of capable dealers abroad, with an ultimate goal of making best-in-class smart electric cars accessible to customers around the world,” he said in a written reply to questions from SCMP.
So, what cars are coming?
By all intents and purposes, Xpeng is a more direct rival to Tesla than BYD. This is because Xpeng exclusively dabbles with battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and only high-end models at that. BYD, despite their relative fame, still garner half their sales from plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and with greater emphasis on lower-end products.
One such example of Xpeng's Tesla fighter is the G6 SUV – which has already been confirmed by company co-president Brian Gu last year as the first model of theirs be RHD.
The G6 is available across three variants in China: a single-motor G6 580 Long Range Pro and 755 Long Range Pro, as well as the range-topping 700 4WD Performance Max, denoting CLTC-rated range of 580 km, 755 km, and 700 km, respectively.
The latter two variants are equipped with a 296 PS/440 Nm rear motor, while the most powerful of them all runs a 358 PS/660 Nm dual-motor setup.
Prices of the G6 start from CNY 209,900 (~RM 136k), which is circa 20% cheaper than an equivalent Tesla Model Y that's priced from CNY 263,900 (~RM 172k).
With humble beginnings collecting diecast models and spending hours virtually tuning dream cars on the computer, his love of cars has delightfully transformed into a career. Sanjay enjoys how the same passion for cars transcends boundaries and brings people together.
