Affordable technology-enabled EVs are booming in markets like China. One of the most well-known brands in that market is Xpeng, which in recent years has also expanded into various markets in Europe.
Now, new reports suggest that Xpeng is looking at expanding into one of its first right-hand-drive markets, this time in the Asia Pacific region.
A report from The Straits Times in Singapore was shared by cnevpost, highlighting Xpeng’s Singapore market entry. The latest update includes details of the brand entering this market in the second half of 2024.
Along with the timing, the first model that would be likely to appear in Singapore is also revealed. That happens to be a mid-sized SUV called the G6.
This model was announced last year with the brand receiving over 25,000 pre-sales of the G6 prior to first customer deliveries.
The G6 is a very important car for the brand given Xpeng has incorporated various new production method innovations to reduce costs while improving the vehicle’s manufacturing process.
This includes a die-casted front and rear integrated aluminium body as well as the packaging of the battery. On top of that the battery pack is attached to the vehicle using a cell-integrated body technology which helps with better space management inside the cabin of the car.
On the specs front, the single-motor models of the Xpeng G6 deliver up to 218 kW of power while the dual-motor high-performance variant can deliver up to 368 kW.
The G6 SUV is also the first model from the brand to be based on its latest 800 Volts EV architecture, allowing for 300 km of range to be added in 10 minutes at the right DC fast charger.
In the local market, the G6 starts at the equivalent of under $A45,000. Meanwhile, the top-spec variant comes in under $A57,000.
At the time of launch, it was predicted that this model was likely to head to overseas markets but what wasn’t clear was whether it would be built in a right-hand-drive configuration.
With the upcoming entry into the Singapore market, it’s becoming clear that Xpeng will be making the G6 and other models in this configuration.
As the local EV market in China continues to see increased competition, brands like Xpeng are focusing more on international expansion. This is making it likely that other markets like Australia are also under consideration.
More choices of EVs could only be a good thing for drivers looking at making the switch to cleaner cars. This expansion paves the path for the G6 and Xpeng’s other models’ arrival in the future.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.