A new electric car spotted in a fast-food parking lot has given motorists another manufacturer to consider before making their switch to an EV.
More Australians are making the switch to electric vehicles with 95,289 sold in the year to June 30, 2024.
EV manufacturer Tesla soared in popularity and topped the list for most sales among motorists, followed by Chinese company BYD.
However, another manufacturer is rivalling Tesla and BYD after making its way to Australian shores and piquing the interest of prospective EV buyers.
Last week, Chinese-owned EV manufacturer Xpeng announced the first deliveries of their luxury G6 electric SUV would start in Australia by the end of June.
The first few test vehicles – all with Victorian number plates – have already been spotted in Goulburn, NSW, with one seen in a KFC parking lot.
Local man Justin Wakefield shared a picture of the luxury SUV to Electric Vehicles for Australia Facebook page.
Mr Wakefield was picking his son up from work when he stumbled across the EV.
The Xpeng G6 electric SUV was spotted in a KFC parking lot in Goulburn, NSW (pictured)
It is one of the first few test vehicles from the Chinese-based manufacturer to hit Australian roads
‘Saw an Xpeng G6 in Goulburn last night. Very impressive! First RHD registered in Australia for now. Look out for them,’ Mr Wakefield wrote.
Curious EV followers asked Mr Wakefield how the car looked in person, to which he replied: ‘Very striking! It’s a highly appealing looking unit’.
Others claimed the arrival of the Xpeng G6 could prove as stiff competition for already the established Tesla and BYD brands.
‘Well now it’s a dilemma BYD Sealion 7 or Xpeng G6… reviewers are excited about Xpeng tech and suspension’, one person wrote.
‘Think I prefer the aesthetics of the Sealion 7 but see what the reviews are like for both. Good to be spoilt for choice,’ a second commented.
A third chimed: ‘Things are getting exciting with all these new choices coming in’.
Mr Wakefield said he owned the hybrid Mitsubishi Exceed Tourer PHEV and explained his next car purchase was going to be a BYD seal for his wife.
However, after seeing the Xpeng and speaking to the representative, he has hit pause on buying the BYD EV.
‘I had not heard of Xpeng previously. I spoke with [the representative] who was driving from Victoria to Sydney, he was only too happy to have a chat about it — but he didn’t mention the price,’ Mr Wakefield said.
‘I saw online that you can order one, but pricing isn’t released until September. Looking at specs and how appealing it seems, I would definitely consider one.
‘Our next car for my wife was going to be a BYD Seal but this has made us hit pause.’
The Xpeng G6 currently does not have an official price but tipped to sell for under $60,000. The EV is available to pre-order online but won’t make its debut in Australian until September
Mr Wakefield added testing of the Xpeng AWD Performance model (LHD) has also created a ‘wait and see’ approach to buying their first EV.
The Xpeng G6 is marketed as a luxurious electric SUV and has been labelled as a ‘high-end’ alternative to the Tesla Model Y.
While TrueEV is accepting online pre-orders for the XPENG G6 models, the SUV won’t make its debut on the Australian market until September.
The Xpeng G6 includes two variants – a Standard Range Battery and a Long Range Battery – featuring an 800V Xpower electric drive system and rear-wheel drive.
The Standard model is powered by 190kW, delivering up to 440Nm of torque, and has a driving range of 435km.
The Long Range model has a larger battery, with a maximum power output of 210kW and a driving range of up to 570km.
Without an official price tag so far, the Xpeng G6 is tipped to sell for under $60,000 to put it on par with Australia’s market leader and best-selling EV, Tesla’s Model Y.
