Chinese Tesla rival Xpeng will launch in Britain in “less than a handful of months” as the company works to expand its offering to include right-hand drive cars, its co-founder said.
The EV company will launch with its G6 coupe crossover, a rival to the Tesla Model Y, Brian Gu confirmed to reporters at the Paris Motor Show.
Xpeng had previously said Britain was on the list of European markets it wanted to enter in 2024, but had been quiet about its plans in recent months.
Chinese EV specialists are now expected to step up their efforts in Britain after the government said this week it would not follow the EU and increase tariffs on Chinese-built EVs.
Xpeng showed off its new P7+ fastback in Paris, days after its unveiling in China. Xpeng bills it as the “world’s first AI-defined vehicle” and touts its ADAS features, space and energy efficiency.
No decision has yet been made on whether the P7+ will join the G9 large SUV and the more conventionally shaped P7 sedan in European markets or the UK.
Xpeng is still finalizing its future range of right-hand drive models for Britain.
“The UK is a very important market. The reason we are not there yet is because we want to do it sensibly,” Gu said. “As we launch, we need to understand the pipeline.”
Gu also said Xpeng is planning smaller electric vehicles to better target Europe’s best-selling segments.
The G6 is available in three variants in European markets, mirroring the Model Y range as closely as possible.
The RWD Standard Range variant, with a 66 kWh LFP battery, costs €43,600 in Germany; the RWD Long Range, with an 87.5 kWh NMC battery, costs €47,600; and the AWD Performance, also with a 87.5 kWh NMC battery, costs €51,600.