Xpeng looks to take on European luxury with new GX SUV
Words: Autocar
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng has revealed its flagship GX SUV, a six-seat luxury model that marks the brand’s entry into the premium market segment with Range Rover-inspired styling and advanced autonomous driving technology.
The company shared official renderings of the GX on social media, following months of prototype sightings. The SUV, internally codenamed G01, will feature steer-by-wire and rear-wheel steering systems when it launches in China later this year.
“The number 1 signifies the company’s approach of starting from first principles and reimagining a full-size flagship family SUV with comprehensive AI thinking,” says XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng.
He explains that the “X” in GX stands for exploration, representing “the pursuit of the beautiful unknown in mobility, as well as XPeng’s technological X-tech DNA.”
The GX adopts design elements from XPeng’s X9 MPV, with He noting the company “has carried over the popular comfortable spaciousness and flexible drivability DNA from its X9 MPV to the GX.”
Advanced platform and dual powertrain strategy
The GX will be built on XPeng’s new SEPA 3.0 Physical AI vehicle architecture, which He says “leads the industry by a generation in integration, intelligence, handling, and safety philosophy.”
Regulatory filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reveal the GX will offer both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants, continuing XPeng’s dual-power strategy.
The SUV measures 5265mm in length, 1999mm in width, and 1800mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3115mm. It will be available with 21-inch or 22-inch wheels depending on the variant.
The BEV version offers single-motor rear-wheel drive producing 270kW, or dual-motor all-wheel drive with a combined output of 430kW. The EREV variant uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as a generator, paired with dual electric motors producing a combined 370kW.
XPeng says the GX will feature four Turing AI chips with computing power exceeding 3000 TOPS, enabling Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities.
Premium market positioning
The GX will sit above XPeng’s current flagship SUV, the G9, targeting a price range between RMB 400,000 and RMB 500,000 (approximately NZ$96,000–120,000). This positions it firmly in the luxury SUV segment alongside established premium Chinese brands like NIO and Zeekr.
“Every seat is the best seat, and every row can recline fully. Even with six on board, you still have a genuinely practical, extra-large trunk,” He says.
The model enters a competitive segment that includes the NIO ES8, Zeekr 9X, and Li Auto L9, among others launched in the past 12 months.
New Zealand market implications
XPeng New Zealand currently sells only the G6 mid-size electric SUV locally, though the company has confirmed the X9 people mover and G9L large SUV for Australian launch in 2026.
XPeng New Zealand has not yet commented on whether the GX flagship will be offered in the local market. Should it arrive, the company may need to address naming conflicts with Lexus, which currently uses the GX designation for its own luxury SUV.
The GX is expected to receive its full reveal ahead of the Beijing Auto Show in April 2026.
