Leading Chinese smart EV company Xpeng has debuted a new large electric SUV at the Paris Motor Show, the G9L, which will be available as both a purely electric model as well as a souped-up range extender version.
Billed as a “large SUV for the AI era”, the Xpeng G9L took centre stage in Paris on Tuesday following what the carmaker described as three years of testing across 26 countries and regions, covering over 6.74 million kilometres.
Xpeng, which has previously launched the popular G6 in Australia, and has just rolled out the smaller L03 electric SUV, did not publish full specifications, pricing, and launch dates for the G9L, and the company’s press release focused primarily on its proprietary extended-range technology, the Kunpeng Super Electric REEV technology.
The company did confirm, however, that a battery electric vehicle (BEV) model would be available alongside its REEV variant.
Boasting up to 430 kilowatts (kW) of power and 695 Nm of torque, a 110-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery would deliver a range of up to 553 kilometres (WLTP), while an 800V electrical architecture allows DC charging up to 540 kW, capable of charging from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 12 minutes.
True to its description as a “large SUV”, the G9L will measure 5,120mm long, 1,998mm wide, and 1,788mm tall, with a 3,100mm long wheelbase. Inside, the SUV will seat seven across three rows, all of which will feature heating and power adjustment. The front two rows unsurprisingly offer a lot more in the way of comfort, including Nappa leather and massage options.
The G9L features double-wishbone front suspension, an H-arm multi-link rear suspension setup, dual-chamber air suspension, and continuous damping control. Rear-wheel steering is also intended to improve manoeuvrability in tighter urban environments.
Xpeng’s Kunpeng Super Electric REEV technology is an interesting improvement on traditional hybrid and range-extender variants – while still being, at its core, a hybrid. Xpeng says that the REEV version features a 63 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, a larger-than-normal sized battery for a hybrid that the company says is meant to “make electric driving the primary experience”.
“Drive electric whenever you can,” says Xpeng. “Take petrol when you need it.”
The REEV variant boasts an electric range of 287km (WLTP) and the same 800V architecture and 5C charging as the BEV model – addressing an oftentimes overlooked hindrance for other hybrid and range-extender variants that reduces the chances that drivers will actually rely on the battery.
Xpeng certainly tried in its press release to make the case for its REEV version, saying that the larger battery “makes electric the default” and describing the REEV as a “fundamentally different … proposition”.
But with a 1.5-litre turbocharged range-extender engine, the REEV version is still a hybrid.
Pricing and full specifications for Australia and New Zealand, as well as launch timing, will be confirmed in the coming months.
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