–– EV DIARY ––
Suttie’s seven days with an… Xpeng G6
Can Xpeng’s G6 electric SUV-coupé compete with more regular rivals? Our man Al finds out over the course of a week
Xpeng G6 RWD Long Range
List Price
BiK
0g/km
CO2
mile-range
mile-range test efficiency
MONDAY
Has there ever been a moment in the UK car market when so many new company names have arrived in such a short space of time? Another to add to the list is Xpeng with its G6, which is similar in size and brief to the Škoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y. It’s certainly got me intrigued this morning to find out what it’s like and how well this 88kWh, 285hp SUV goes in the real world.
TUESDAY
Heading out to the G6 this morning, the first challenge was getting into the car. I assumed the door handles would pop out as I approached the car, as they do on a Tesla, or there would be a touch-sensitive pad on the door handle. Nope, I had to use the key as I had not downloaded the Xpeng app to my phone that then acts as the key to unlock the car in a hands-free fashion.
WEDNESDAY
The interior of the G6 is very much in keeping with current trends in mid-market electric SUVs. Loads of space front and back, a flat floor for excellent leg room, big boot and a large central infotainment screen that does almost everything other than what’s worked by the column stalks. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of the button-less approach, especially as it makes adjusting the ventilation way too much of a faff. Saab perfected air vent control decades ago, so why reinvent them?
THURSDAY
The Xpeng’s squared circle steering wheel is not as right-angled as some and the remote controls on the wheel are handy once you work out their functions. The gear selector, on the right-hand stalk, works well, too, while the driving position affords good vision. The parking camera display is necessary, though, due to the slope of the rear window pillars.
FRIDAY
The Xpeng is no slouch in this RWD Long Range form and covers 0-62mph in a claimed 6.2 seconds. That’s not as fast as some rivals, but it feels right for a car of this size, class and type – anything more just seems like a liability in my view. The suspension does a good job on the rough roads round here and the steering is light, albeit with less feel than a Škoda Enyaq’s.
SATURDAY
There are a fair few quirks you get used to with the Xpeng G6, such as the buttons in place of handles to open the doors. You also have to use the infotainment for virtually every function, which means scrolling through too many menus for ease of use. This isn’t helped when the car’s attention warning then tells you to keep your eyes on the road when all you want to do is turn down the fan speed.
SUNDAY
I was a little wary of the Xpeng’s driving range given several EVs recently have not come close to their claims. However, the G6 proved superbly efficient and this meant there was no need to keep tabs on charge point locations. Instead, the G6 just kept going for long distances and made life much simpler. For this alone, it elevates the car above most rivals as a sound fleet choice.
