Another Chinese automaker is taking the fight to Tesla

Yahoo

07-03-2025

While the United States market isn't open to Chinese automakers, the Australian market is a battleground between Chinese and legacy manufacturers. Xpeng is just one emerging Chinese automaker taking aim at the Tesla Model Y, the world's best-selling vehicle. To sweeten the pot, so to speak, Xpeng Australia has extended warranty coverage for the G6 crossover—but the extension won't be around forever.Xpeng Australia has extended the availability of one of the country's longest warranties. Customers who place an order for the Xpeng G6 between February 1st and June 30th will also get a 10-year vehicle warranty at no extra cost. The warranty is also good for up to 220,000 km, or 136,700 miles.
The new Xpeng G6 will also come with a 10-year battery warranty, up from the industry-standard eight-year warranty. The Xpeng G6 officially hit the Australian market last year and is currently the Chinese automaker's only entry into the segment.
The G6's standard warranty coverage is five years or 120,000 km. With the 10-year vehicle warranty promotion, Xpeng claims owners will save just under $5,000 AUD.
Xpeng is just one of a handful of automakers to offer a 10-year warranty on new vehicles. Nissan is extending its new-vehicle warranty to 10 years or 300,000 km. Mitsubishi is offering a 10-year or 200,000 km warranty, provided service is performed at a Mitsubishi dealer.Xpeng's extended promotion comes just months before the updated Tesla Model Y arrives in Australia this spring. The G6 is a direct rival to the Model Y, which is also known as the world's best-selling EV and Australia's best-selling EV.
Xpeng's competitor comes in rear- and all-wheel drive configurations, with RWD models generating 280 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque. The standard range version offers a range of up to 435 kilometers, or 270 miles. The Long Range model gets a bigger battery, increasing range to 570 kilometers, or roughly 354 miles.
The top-spec AWD Performance trim delivers 470 horsepower and 486 lb-ft of torque. It comes with the same 87.5 kWh battery pack as the Long Range variant, and a range of 550 kilometers, or 341 miles.
BYD and Tesla are the big dogs in the global EV race, and Xpeng clearly wants to join them. The Chinese automaker sold just over 190,000 vehicles in 2024, up from 141,601 in 2023. According to Xpeng's CEO, however, 2025 marks the beginning of a shakeout."The period from 2025 to 2027 marks the elimination round in the automotive industry," Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng told The Wall Street Journal. 'Competition in 2025 will be fiercer than ever.'
Currently, Xpeng has a toehold in 30 countries and regions, but the Chinese automaker plans to double that to 60 markets in 2025. Xiaopeng expects roughly half Xpeng's sales to come from outside of China by 2033.
Xpeng's next stage of expansion, dubbed 'go-global 2.0 strategy,' has already begun with deliveries of the X9 SUV to Thailand. In this phase, the Chinese manufacturer plans to break into Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
It's a shame we can't get behind the wheel of a Chinese EV here in the United States. Chinese automotive manufacturer BYD made headlines last year with its incredible sales numbers and foothold in over 70 countries and counting. With Xpeng planning on doubling its global footprint in 2025, it looks like legacy automakers will have more Chinese competition on their hands going forward.
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