A new Chinese player in the electric vehicle market. Ten years after its creation, the manufacturer Xpeng attacks the French market with its G9 electric SUV model that aims to compete with the Tesla Model Y.
“We have a decidedly high-end positioning (…) Today there are still no high-end Chinese brands,” explains Thomas Rodier, spokesperson for Xpeng in France, in BFM Business.
The G9, a 4.90 meter SUV, will contain “a lot of technology” and will be offered from 59,990 euros, for a range of 570 kilometers according to the WLTP standard. Xpeng aims to stand out thanks to an accelerated charging time: “We know to what extent charging time is a barrier when purchasing. There you can recharge your battery from 10 to 80% in less than twenty minutes,” says Thomas Rodier.
The Chinese manufacturer does not plan to stop there. After the G9, it plans to launch a second model, the G6, “which is more at the heart of the market, 4.75 meters, and which will allow it to compete with the main ones”, continues Thomas Rodier.
35 points of sale in France
Xpeng also aims to have 35 points of sale by the end of the year in France, relying on players in the sector such as Car Avenue, Jean Lain, Easy Motors and BPM. “We have already started signing contracts. We will announce the places where we will open starting in June,” emphasizes the brand’s spokesperson in France. In 2025, the “Chinese Tesla” hopes to have 55 points of sale. However, at this time the possibility of opening a factory in Europe is not being considered.
“We arrived with a lot of humility. We have quite reasonable volumes, so opening a factory with our volumes would not be reasonable,” says Thomas Rodier.
However, the G9, like the G6, will not be eligible for the ecological bonus. But “we offer a very competitive price that allows us to offset this bonus,” says the company spokesperson, adding that Xpeng has “something unique to offer compared to other Chinese brands.”
Source: BFM TV
