Latest news with #Xpeng
Reuters
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Volkswagen to close jointly-owned China plant, reports Handelsblatt
BERLIN, July 11 (Reuters) - Volkswagen ( opens new tab and its Chinese partner SAIC ( opens new tab will close their joint plant in the Chinese city of Nanjing, the German daily Handelsblatt reported on Friday. Production has already been halted, and the closure will take place gradually in the second half of the year, the report said, citing several people familiar with the process. Volkswagen did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from Reuters. Reuters reported in September that the German carmaker was planning to stop production at its Nanjing plant, citing a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The carmaker would gradually shift production of its Passat family cars from the Nanjing plant to a nearby factory in the same eastern province of Jiangsu, the person said at the time. Volkswagen, long the top-selling automaker in China, is suffering from a decline in its market share in the country and is working with SAIC and other partners such as Xpeng to bring new models on the market that it hopes will be more competitive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla's rivals in China are launching a wave of new Model Y killers to take on the best-selling SUV
Tesla is battling backlash to Elon Musk's politics in the US, but in China, it faces a different problem. Local rivals are launching a wave of "Model Y killer" cars to take down Tesla's best-selling EV. Analysts told BI that Tesla is falling behind high-tech new models like Xiaomi's YU7. China may not care about Elon Musk's politics, but that doesn't mean things are going well for Tesla there. Despite Tesla's sales in China rising in June amid upbeat sales of the refreshed version of its Model Y SUV, the electric vehicle giant is stuttering in its second-largest market. Tesla sold 129,000 vehicles in China during the second quarter of 2025, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association, down nearly 12% from the same period last year. Sales of the Model Y, Tesla's most popular car and China's best-selling SUV, have been flat since 2022 — and it's now set to face a new wave of competition. Last month, smartphone giant-turned EV maker Xiaomi launched its YU7 electric SUV, which amassed more than 240,000 preorders in 24 hours, while EV startup Xpeng debuted the G7, its Model Y rival, a week later to strong early demand. Both cars are priced below the Model Y, and are set to be joined by Nio's L90, another electric SUV that will go on sale later this month. Lei Xing, an independent analyst covering the Chinese auto industry, told Business Insider that Tesla has weathered attempts to dethrone the Model Y before. But, he added, Elon Musk's automaker has never faced a challenge quite like the YU7, which has taken China by storm. "I think it's the Model Y killer. There's been a lot of rivals that have come before it, and the Model Y has been very resilient, but the YU7 seems to be the one that can overtake it," he said. Xiaomi scored a massive hit with its first EV, the SU7, selling more than 200,000 since it launched in March 2024. The company faced a crisis earlier this year when an SU7 was involved in a fatal highway crash, but the sedan has continued to sell well. Lei Xing said that Xiaomi's cars had proved extremely popular with women and young people. In comments posted on social media last week, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said that the average age of YU7 preorder holders was 33, and around 30% came from women. Lei Xing added that the company had successfully tapped into a massive, tech-obsessed consumer base of "fanatics" that already own multiple Xiaomi products. He said one of the earliest SU7 buyers in Shanghai told him he owned around 300,000 yuan ($41,000) of Xiaomi products in his home in addition to the company's first EV. "Xiaomi over the last 15 years has expanded their product lineup to all sorts of devices. They've built this home-car-human connection. And now that last missing piece is the car," said Lei Xing. Snow Bull Capital CEO Taylor Ogan, whose Shenzhen-based firm invests in the EV and battery industry, told BI that Xiaomi's tech ecosystem had handed the company a major advantage in China's ultra-competitive market. "My home has over 15 Xiaomi devices, my TV is Xiaomi, my bed is a Xiaomi. This is very common in China — once you're in the ecosystem, it's really hard to get out of," Ogan said. Lei Xing said that while Tesla was still the "benchmark" for many Chinese automakers in terms of tech, the US firm was now behind on some key features, such as advanced driver assistance systems. Musk has previously said that Tesla's attempts to launch its Full Self-Driving system have been hampered by Chinese rules around data sharing. The company launched a limited version of FSD in China earlier this year, but it charges Tesla owners around $8,000 to access it, unlike many of its rivals, who have begun offering similar systems for free. "On ADAS, because of some of the regulatory restrictions, Tesla is behind in China," said Lei Xing. "These features are becoming commoditized. The BYD Seagull offers highway ADAS as standard. Customers have come to expect these kinds of things," he added. Ogan said that Tesla still has a good reputation in China, but the company's ageing product lineup and tech have left it vulnerable. "Tech-wise, there are probably 10 companies that have better tech. Xiaomi definitely has better tech than Tesla. It has better motor tech, it has better infotainment, and it actually makes a lot of its own tech," Ogan said, who is an investor in Chinese auto giant BYD. "Tesla is just refreshing the bumpers and their headlights and adding an LED strip in the car. That might work enough in Western markets, but it's not enough in today's market here," he added. Ogan said that Tesla's previous tactic of lowering prices to fend off competition would likely be less effective now that many of its rivals offer cheaper models, and said that some Tesla showrooms had turned to new tactics to boost sales. "The one that's nearest to me, almost every night they're hiring street performers to perform outside of their showroom to try to drive traffic," he said. One thing that might help Tesla fend off the threat of the YU7 in the short term is the painfully long delivery times for Xiaomi's new EV. The company's website is advertising delivery times of up to 60 weeks for the YU7. Lei Xing said some customers unhappy about the prospect of waiting over a year for the high-tech SUV might instead turn to the Model Y. Xiaomi CEO Jun himself backed that idea, telling his social media followers they should consider buying rival models like Xpeng's G7 and the Model Y if they're in a "hurry." In the long run, however, that is unlikely to solve Tesla's main problem in China: a lack of new products. "They haven't launched a new product in years," Tu Le, the managing director at Sino Auto Insights, told BI. "The reality is that Tesla doesn't face an Elon personality challenge in China like it does in the rest of the world. It is a lack of competitive products in the Chinese market that is causing Tesla problems," he added. Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Auto Car
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
The updated Xpeng G6 could be the UK's fastest-charging electric car
Xpeng has updated its Tesla Model Y rival, the G6 crossover, with a round of styling tweaks and new battery technology that the firm claims will make it the fastest-charging EV in its class. The Chinese EV maker's mid-sized electric SUV was only revealed two years ago and has been on sale in the UK for just a few months, but it has already received a facelift to bring it up to date with its range-mates and rivals. Chief among the updates is a huge hike in maximum charging speed, from 280kW to 451kW. That's quick enough, Xpeng says, to give a 10-80% charge in just 12 minutes - although public chargers in the UK currently top out at around 350kW. Xpeng has not revealed how long the battery can sustain those peak charging speeds. Full specifications remain to be confirmed, but the new G6 claims a maximum range of 326 miles from the biggest-battery variant, suggesting a decrease in outright capacity over the previous Long Range car, which claimed 354 miles between charges. The changes under the floor come alongside a visual refresh, which brings a new full-width front light bar – following in the footsteps of its recently restyled Tesla rival – along with colour-coded wheel arches, a sleeker rear diffuser and a subtle rear spoiler. Updates inside include new wood-grain dashboard trim and various material quality improvements, and there is now the option of a digital rear-view mirror on higher-spec cars. Orders are now open in Europe for the updated G6 ahead of deliveries starting at the end of summer, but the firm's UK importer International Motors has yet to confirm when it will land here - although a public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed suggests it is not far away.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Xpeng and its market entry strategy for the UK
Chinese EV manufacturer Xpeng offers a range of smart EVs that focus on performance, sustainability and safety while also offering advanced technology for drivers and passengers. At present the company sells vehicles in several European countries and the UK (at present only the G6 SUV is offered in the UK), with plans for further expansion. Xpeng has already launched in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and now the UK. Xpeng's UK strategy involves aiming for a gradual presence in the premium EV segment. The OEM plans to achieve this by establishing a dealership network, while focusing on building trust and brand awareness for buyers - and focusing on its smart technology brand attributes. We spoke to William Brown, Xpeng's MD for UK and Ireland, to learn more about this strategy and Xpeng's vehicle offering. Just Auto (JA): When looking at Xpeng's UK strategy could you discuss product rollout, dealership experience and service infrastructure? William Brown (WB): The first product to be introduced to the UK market is the Xpeng G6. That's primarily because it's their first global product that they can sell into any market in the world. In the UK, the vehicles are right-hand drive as opposed to left-hand drive. Xpeng has been selling vehicles in Europe for about four years, but that was left-hand drive products. Product rollout With the global strategy, the basic aim is to start selling products into as many markets as possible across the globe. It's great to have the G6 because we think it's the perfect vehicle to get people to understand a bit about the Xpeng brand and product. It fits in the most accessible place for EVs, which is C/D segment, a family size vehicle at a reasonable price point. That's the first product that we're launching in the UK, and we're just rolling that out now. The next product that will be coming to us will be early next year, sometime in the first half - specific timeline still to be confirmed - will be the X9 which is exciting because it's Xpeng's flagship model. It's on sale in China and it's just been launched in Hong Kong. With the global strategy, the basic aim is to start selling products into as many markets as possible across the globe. The X9 will be the halo model for the brand, and that will further explain to customers about Xpeng as a tech brand. The next one after that is another model that's already on sale in European markets, the G9. The current model on sale in Europe is due to be replaced with a new version. I understand it's a new model of the G9, not a facelift or update. The G9 sells very well in Europe, particularly in northern Europe, and that is a D-segment premium SUV. The closest competitor would be something like the Kia EV9. We've got other models coming and I can't go into the specifics of those models at the moment, but there's potentially another model that will be launched in 2026. Dealership experience We're taking a slightly slower approach than other Chinese entrants. We've aimed for about twenty retailers this year, and we're taking our time to pick partners that are really enthusiastic about EVs and our technology. Some brands are appointing as many dealers as possible to get great coverage in the UK. Obviously, that's convenient for customers, but we haven't taken that approach. We get to meet the people in the business that are going to be selling the products, and we get to take the vehicle down to them, show them the vehicle; we can see how engaged they are, how they interact with technology, ensure that they share the vision for where the Xpeng brand is going to be. It's early days. It's not going to be a mass-market brand. Rather, it's a brand that has aspirations at some point in the future to be a premium brand, but it's really all about the technology story. We're very keen to try, as best we can, to explain the difference between a car company, a tech company, and a tech company that builds cars - that's what Xpeng is. It's quite a difficult one to explain to big audiences, but we'll certainly have a go. It's also about specific dealers that are more excited about the long-term, where this can go with things like autonomous driving and how that could work in the future. There are dealers that just want to sell a piece of metal, turn it over quickly and get good volume - that's not really the type of dealer we're looking for. Service infrastructure Having twenty sales outlets for this year (we're looking to increase that for next year), does leave a number of service coverage gaps across the UK territory. As part of the international motors' portfolio, we have got other brands and we're going to use - where it's right for those locations and partners - some of our assets around the country in terms of dealers and partners that can help with aftersales, warranty; so they become [Xpeng] service points. We've already got a number of dedicated Xpeng service points that aren't selling the vehicles, but they're there for consumers who have got queries, any issues that they may have, and we intend to roll that out further so we can try and take some of that nervousness away, too. When looking at the bigger picture what are the short-term and longer-term goals for Xpeng? The new Chinese entrants are moving at a speed that's unprecedented in terms of when the Koreans or the Japanese brought products to market decades ago. It is much quicker than anybody had anticipated. The short-term goal for Xpeng, between one and five years, is that, assuming we have various Chinese brands selling products in the UK, the expectation is that Xpeng gets recognised as the number one Chinese premium brand. In five years' time, if we've got ten or twelve Chinese brands in the UK selling various products, the aim is that Xpeng is recognised to be the premium, tech-focused brand. Then longer term, looking towards ten years, if we've established ourselves as a kind of leader in tech and premium among Chinese brands, then the next aim is to start to rival the established legacy premium brands – Audi, BMW etc. That's a very difficult area of the market to penetrate, but the exciting thing about EVs is we believe customers are not as fixed or as loyal to existing brands, because it's a different proposition from an ICE vehicle. An EV vehicle is much more about how technology integrates with day-to-day life, and so we're quite excited and we think EV is an opportunity to, potentially, take some of those customers that are maybe used to those established premium brands and get them to look at Chinese brands. With the technology that we've got on the car and in the pipeline, Xpeng will be a clear technology leader in automotive At the moment it'd be probably difficult to get Xpeng on the consideration list of somebody that has had BMWs, Audis and Mercedes, but I think in the future we should be able to get there. With the technology that we've got on the car and in the pipeline, Xpeng will be a clear technology leader in automotive. I can't see any of the legacy brands being able to keep up with the pace that Xpeng will be traveling at. Do you think EV adoption will carry on growing in the UK? The UK is probably a leader, with the exception of Norway. It's a leader because of the government trajectory in terms of targets for 2030. I think that for manufacturers working in the UK, it focuses your business plan around keeping in line with that and where the government wants to position automotive in the UK. At this moment in time, you can only see EV sales rising and the acceptance from consumers growing year on year. Obviously now there's more [charging] infrastructure around that being supported. I dare say there are going to be other incentives over the next few years to help consumers get on that journey. We're really excited that to have a brand like Xpeng which is a new energy vehicle brand that is pretty much dedicated EV. It feels like a really good space to be in. There are some aspects of the market that are challenging, of course, but I think that's short-term. When we get through the 2025-2026 period, the market in 2027 is going to be completely different to how it is today and that's what we're focused on. "Xpeng and its market entry strategy for the UK" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Errore nel recupero dei dati Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati
Irish Examiner
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Xpeng G6 review: The Chinese are coming — and their EVs are getting serious
It seems like every other week now we have a new Chinese car brand being launched here, and that the dire predictions for the demise of the heretofore western-dominated auto manufacturing industry are coming ever closer to reality. Across Europe, what might be termed 'the beast from the East' is not only beginning to find clarity, it already has more than one foot in the door of local markets and is confidently taking the fight to the establishment. Why, even the relative upstart in the automotive world, Tesla, which itself stomped on the automotive industry's giants over the past few years, has been taking a beating itself and has lost its preeminence in the field of EVs to the Chinese manufacturer BYD. Throw in entities like MG, Ora, Nio, Chery, Leapmotor, Smart, Polestar, Zeekr, Link and Co, Lotus, Maxus and a few others, and you will realise that this is not just a small wave lapping at the feet of the European auto industry, it's a tsunami. And when you think that the Chinese already have a respectable toe-hold worldwide thanks to their ownership of Volvo, you begin to get the picture. That BYD has already put Tesla in its rearview mirrors is food for considerable thought. Of course, it is not as if the Europeans – and the Americans, to an extent – did not see this coming as many companies already have established partnerships with Chinese counterparts or have gone and built manufacturing plants themselves in order to gain a foothold in what is, after all, one of the world's biggest markets. The latest manufacturer to hit the road here in Ireland is Xpeng and it is interesting to note that the Irish distributorship has been secured by Motor Distributors Ltd., the company founded by Stephen Flaherty and which originally brought Volkswagen to Ireland, inspiring an automotive revolution here which goes back to the post-WWII period. At various times, MDL distributed cars from all the VW Group companies – VW, Audi, SEAT and Skoda – before the parent company took them all back again. But, not to despair, MDL also had the Mercedes franchise (and still does) and its ties to the Chinese automotive sector over the past two decades opened the door for the Irish outfit to access distribution rights to their products. XPENG G6 (interior) It already has BYD on its books here and in the last couple of months it also announced an association with Xpeng, or the Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co. Ltd., to give it its proper title, which was only founded eleven years ago and only as a mobility company, not necessarily simply an automotive maker. Read More Essential electric vehicle tips for Irish road trips and motorway driving While it launched its first car, the G3 SUV, in 2018 (something not seen here), it is expanding rapidly and not just in the traditional sense of the auto industry. It has already built a flying car and has also been hugely involved in the development of autonomous cars – i.e. motors that drive themselves. So, auto making is only one of the cards in its stacked hand, but its newest contender, the G6, already has the Tesla Model Y in its crosshairs – something which Elon Musk's outfit seems deeply uncomfortable with. So much so, it has already given the Y a facelift. Having already got its ass whipped by BYD, Tesla is seemingly not at all happy with Xpeng's arrival, seeing as it represents yet another cold wind blowing in its direction from China. But that's for another day, maybe. Today, we are focused on the G6 model and how it will fare against some of the EV big boys. Not bad at all is the simple answer. It might be that the Chinese, down the years, got a deserved reputation for creating seriously accurate knock-offs – be it golf clubs, handbags, or whatever. That might have been diluted in recent times, but you know the deal: once you've got an established character trait, it's hard to shake it off no matter how incorrect it is. Sadly for Xpeng, forever more will it be associated with aping Tesla's Model Y with the G6; no matter what it does in the future, it will be looked at through that prism. And true, if you look closely at, say, the G6's infotainment system, a lot is going on here that seems familiar. Sure, there are differences in this 'no button' approach to everything apart from the electric window controls between the two manufacturers (even adjusting the door mirrors requires mastery of the central control screen), but the similarities are striking. One of the screen's functions also illustrates to you the traffic around you at any given time, is also not new. Indeed, there are many, many things here that have been aped from elsewhere. Having said that, however, the blitzkrieg of tech in the G6 is smashing and nerdy types will be perfectly at home in this car. Xpeng G6 appeal One thing that has cropped up again and again with Chinese products is that, invariably, when it comes to on-road dynamics, they fall short of what is required by Western norms. Largely, they understeer like mad, cornering can sometimes be very tippy-toey, steering vague, and the ride is choppy. The G6, however, has taken things up a notch, and it is a sign – if it was needed – that when the Chinese put their minds to something, it gets sorted pretty quickly. We have always said that they would get on top of the dynamics in short order, and with this car, we can see that our concerns are certainly being addressed. There are two G6 models on offer to Irish punters – a standard range version and a long-range version. Both are rear wheel drive only, and one has a range of 435 km, while the other will cover 570 km. It was the former we tried and, unlike a majority of the Chinese products we've driven, it was a decent enough handler. It was not outstanding or anything, just good at its job. There was nothing on display here which screamed 'brilliant.' Rather, it was simply perfectly acceptable. It cornered well and dealt with the Irish road network with commendable poise, but even at that, it was a notable improvement over most of its native contemporaries. For a big car, the acceleration was brisk at 6.9 seconds for the 0-100 km/h dash, and top speed was better than most at 200 km/h. What impressed, though, was the 20-minute 0-80% charging time. This was just as well, because I found that at motorway speeds the G6 ate into the range capability pretty quickly, although it was much, much better doing normal day-to-day things. A trip from Cork to Dublin will exhaust most of its energy, but faffing about around town will see a full charge last almost a week. Whatever you do in it, you will do so in impressive comfort; there's a very airy and really well put together interior, and passengers will not want for head or leg room. The boot, too, is very commodious. This is a quality product, and very definitely so at the price. A tad bland looking – the so-called 'robot' face is unextraordinary – the G6 is quite different when viewed from the interior, although that 'switchless' character does take getting used to. A definite uptick then on what we have been seeing from the Chinese so far, with the promise of more to come in the future from a manufacturer with an eye definitely on the future. MDL rarely takes a false step, and they definitely have not done so here. Read More Skoda Kodiaq review: why this SUV is still a top choice for Irish family buyers
