Xpeng G9 first impression – This electric car is tailored for Norway
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(Elbil24): The electric car brand Xpeng is current in Norway with the models P7 and G3i, but there is no talk of a huge volume of cars for the time being.
– Tailored for Norway
When the next model arrives, most of that can change. The G9 is a large electric SUV in the premium segment, with specifications tailored to a discerning Norwegian public, says Xpeng Motors Norway’s PR manager, Knut Arne Marcussen.
Elbil24 was among the first media to get a closer look at the G9 during a press screening in Oslo on Thursday.
The two cars that have arrived are prototypes, but are a long way from how they will appear when the first examples are delivered to customers in the third quarter of 2023.
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– Game changer
The car was launched on the Chinese market at the end of September, but already in August you could be interested in reserving the car. It led to 23,000 reservations during the first 24 hours, according to the car manufacturer itself.
– In China, the G9 is already being referred to as a game changer, with, among other things, an extremely high charging speed and a high level of self-driving, he says to Elbil24.
Especially this with charging speed has received a lot of attention. The Chinese version of the G9 supports 800v charging and a maximum charging power of 480 kW. That’s almost twice as fast as the fastest competitors. Under optimal conditions, one should get 200 kilometers of new range after charging for just five minutes, according to Xpeng.
The charging speed will not be that fast in the Norwegian versions of the car, which will arrive in Norway in the summer. Here it is currently stated at 300 kW, which is better than any other car model on Norwegian roads anyway. Currently, the fastest lightning chargers here at home deliver a maximum of 350-360 kW at most.
And the Norwegian cars are also somewhat more easily equipped when it comes to Lidar and functions related to self-driving, simply because they drive themselves far ahead of time, we are told from Xpeng Motors Norway.
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“Norwegian” car
Norway is the first country outside of China that Xpeng is investing in, and the G9 is the first electric car from the company that is primarily designed for an international market.
According to Xpeng Motors Norway, the Norwegian market has been a kind of guideline during the construction of the car – and they have emphasized giving the car the characteristics that typical Norwegian buyers are looking for.
The G9 has thus become a large car of almost 4.9 meters in length, 1.93 in width and 1.67 in height, and with a wheelbase of 3 metres. The car will be available in three versions in Norway, one with rear wheel drive and two with all four wheel drive.
The versions with four-wheel drive are supplied with adaptive dampers, and the ground clearance can be raised from 14.5 cm (standard) to 19.5 cm should the need arise.
All three versions are delivered with a 98 kWh battery which should give a range of up to 570 km on the version with operation on two wheels, and up to 520 on the others. It also supports the V2L standard, which means that you can use it as a giant power bank, for example to fire up an electric grill, charge the electric bike or to provide power for lighting, coffee and the TV on the cordless the cabin. Max power output is 3.3 kW. Home charging is limited to 11 kW (400v/3-phase).
The luggage compartment holds 620 liters up to the hat shelf, 660 liters if you include the space under the floor. We measured the depth at 102 centimetres, and the width at 1 meter at the narrowest point at the wheel arches.
In addition, the car has a relatively large frunk (storage compartment) of 71 liters in the front.
Fully automatic towing hitch is actually standard on the versions with operation on all four wheels, and the car must also be able to tow a trailer weighing up to 1,500 kilograms. It is also certified for up to 75 kilograms on the roof.
The driving force is also nothing to complain about. The version with operation on all four wheels, for example, sprints from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, and thus joins the club for the fastest SUVs on the market. More technical data in the table at the bottom.
The article continues after the pictures
Premium on the inside
On the inside, emphasis has been placed on providing a premium experience, including perforated leather seats with both cooling and heating – with a number of adjustment options. Hard plastic is also completely absent. The roof is dominated by a very panoramic roof, which comes as standard.
Two large screens dominate the front, with the one on the left reserved for the driver – and control of functions and sound system. The operating system has an interface reminiscent of that found in other Xpeng models – and we see that support for services such as Spotify, Tidal and TuneIn is in place.
However, support for Android Auto and Apple Carplay is not in place, and such support is not certain to come either, we are informed by Xpeng.
There are a total of 20 speakers in the cabin (18 from DynAudio). A speaker is actually placed under the car at the front – for use, for example, when parked at the campsite.
A small special detail is that the screen on the right has a so-called privacy filter, which means that it is sorted for the driver. It naturally has to do with traffic safety.
The central armrest can be opened from both sides, and the room on the inside has support for cooling. There are also separate air nozzles that should be able to spread a good smell in the passenger compartment if you so wish.
The front passenger seat also has a built-in footrest that is adjusted electronically. The rear seat is special in that the seats can be adjusted lengthwise, and the angle of the seat backs can also be adjusted.
The floor can also be laid completely flat and equipped with a mattress for sleeping in the compartment.
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But when will it arrive and how much will it cost?
Xpeng has not yet decided what the car will cost, but we believe that it will be very competitive. If we look at the BYD Tang, which it is natural to compare against, the prices start at just over NOK 600,000 – and we will not be surprised if the G9 will start at the same price.
Sales are expected to start in the second quarter, and cars will arrive towards the end of the third quarter next year, which should hint towards August/September.
We will get back with the prices as soon as we get them from Xpeng.