In the fiercely competitive automotive market of 2023, where blockbusters emerged frequently, Xpeng was stuck in a quagmire, with monthly deliveries consistently falling below 10,000 units for several consecutive months, almost slipping out of the “Big Three” league. Like many other emerging automakers, Xpeng also needed a blockbuster that was sufficiently “explosive” to stimulate market demand.

On June 29 of the same year, Xpeng G6 officially launched, targeting the 200,000-yuan pure electric SUV market, featuring 800V high-voltage architecture and intelligence. The new model achieved remarkable results shortly after its launch, briefly becoming the best-selling new pure electric vehicle priced above 200,000 yuan, with a net promoter score of 71.43%.

However, G6's glory was relatively short-lived, with monthly sales plummeting after peaking at 8,750 units and hovering around 4,300 units thereafter. There has been much discussion about Xpeng G6's lack of success. Some believe its appearance is too “ahead of its time” and difficult to accept, while others argue that pure electric vehicles still have pain points, favoring hybrids instead. In summary, the market hopes G6 can be “redesigned.”

Recently, a netizen spotted a brand-new road test vehicle on the street. Judging from the taillight design, it was identified as a new Xpeng product, suspected to be a refreshed Xpeng G6 or potentially even named “G6+.” Of course, according to Xpeng's product layout plans, it could also be an entirely new product series.

(Image from @Turbo_Car)

Regardless, the new car seems to be striving to respond to market demands. After all, as Xpeng's key volume driver, G6 competes against sales champion Model Y, one of the most mainstream products currently available. Abandoning it midway is out of the question. So, how likely is the revamped Xpeng G6 to triumph over the upcoming refreshed Tesla Model Y?

G6's biggest pain point is about to be addressed

From the current spy shots, it is clear that the most significant change in the new G6 compared to the current model lies in its exterior design. Looking solely at the prototype's rear end, it is evident that the same through-style taillight design as the Xpeng P7+ has been adopted, with a pronounced corner at the waistline, creating a sharper and more powerful silhouette from the side. Whether the front end design will continue with the P7+ style remains uncertain, but it is evident that Xpeng is deliberately creating a new family look.

It can be said that the most controversial aspect of the current G6 is its exterior design. While its original design is highly original and unlike any other model on the market, its bulky silhouette gives off a “puffed-up” visual impression, deterring some potential customers. Electric Car Channel believes that the revised design language will be significantly more appealing than the current model, allowing for confident speculation about its real-life appearance.

Another pain point is that many users of high-end G6 models have reported that the double-decker electric spoiler at the rear occupies most of the rear window space, resulting in a larger blind spot for the rearview mirror and sometimes affecting driving safety. Based on spy shots, the new Xpeng G6 eliminates the double-decker spoiler but retains the hatchback design. Whether a hatchback SUV is practical or not is already a settled matter in people's minds, ultimately depending on how manufacturers prioritize and define it.

(Image from Xpeng Motors)

Currently, information on the hardware of the all-new Xpeng G6 is limited. Electric Car Channel speculates that the new model will continue to leverage Xpeng's strengths in intelligence, integration, and overall energy efficiency, ensuring that the final driving experience will not deteriorate. It will also be equipped with Xpeng's latest smart cockpit and advanced autonomous driving systems, aligning with the P7+.

Simply put, the hardware of the Xpeng G6 is inherently competitive. However, it cannot be denied that the first impression consumers have of a new car is its exterior design. Excellent visual engineering can capture the hearts of more young people. The popularity of Xpeng P7+ and MONA M03 has proven that “beauty is the primary productivity.”

Coincidentally, along with the Xpeng G6, Tesla's new-generation Model Y was also unveiled. Both share a similar redesign approach, focusing on the exterior—the most noticeable aspect to consumers—and both are hatchback SUVs. The design language of the new Model Y has also undergone changes, such as the addition of through-style streamlined light strips at the front and rear.

When there are no groundbreaking upgrades in product capabilities, changing the design language may be the most noticeable improvement. The exterior of the Xpeng G6 is not visually appealing, while the Tesla Model Y appears “outdated.” Both are in need of a facelift.

Regardless of trim level, G6 continues the concept of “equal autonomous driving rights”

Considering G6's final positioning and pricing, it is highly unlikely to feature lidar-based advanced autonomous driving systems. Li Liyun, Vice President of Xpeng Motors and Head of Autonomous Driving, clarified two key points at the Xpeng P7+ AI Autonomous Driving Technology Sharing Conference: AI Tianqi 5.4.0 has officially entered public beta testing, and AI autonomous driving will no longer differentiate between Pro and Max trims. The P7+ and subsequent models will come standard with AI autonomous driving, with a single software suite compatible across the entire lineup.

He believes that only automakers with strong platformization, automation capabilities, and engineering system capabilities can achieve “a single software suite standard for the entire lineup.”

Generally, for the development and mass production of autonomous driving systems, the richer the variety of covered vehicle types, the more comprehensive the data collection becomes. Differentiating between autonomous driving versions would complicate official maintenance and potentially lead to an inconsistent user experience across versions. Additionally, some basic autonomous driving solutions are not developed in-house but sourced from third parties, leading to discrepancies and uncertainties between promotional claims and actual performance.

In other words, the upcoming refreshed Xpeng G6 will adopt a similar strategy to the P7+, offering AI autonomous driving as standard across all trim levels and equipping the same AI Tianqi 5.4.0 system as the P7+, enabling full-scenario, end-to-end usage of large models. According to official information, the number of parameters in Xpeng's cloud-based large model is 80 times that of the in-vehicle large model, with an 8-fold increase in effective perceived information, a 40% improvement in recognition speed, and a 125% extension of perception range.

The AI autonomous driving capability first introduced on the P7+ supports in-place startup and has been optimized for relatively complex scenarios such as navigating narrow roads, crossing lanes, and merging into entrances and exits. Clearly, Xpeng is preparing for higher-level autonomous driving and striving to solve the “last mile” challenge in autonomous driving.

(Image from Xpeng Motors)

We understand why manufacturers differentiate between trim levels in terms of autonomous driving capabilities, as many other configurations are already standard. However, as intelligence becomes increasingly important in automobiles, autonomous driving has become an indispensable aspect of the driving experience. As pure vision-based autonomous driving matures, many automakers and new vehicles are advocating for “equal autonomous driving rights” and “democratization of autonomous driving” to meet the growing demand. Xpeng's decision to make AI autonomous driving standard across all P7+ trims, regardless of Pro or Max, becomes clearer in this context.

Certainly, ensuring a significant volume of users for autonomous driving is crucial. Li Liyun believes that future autonomous driving competitions will hinge on end-to-end large models rather than hardware stacking. The more users of autonomous driving, the more advanced AI autonomous driving capabilities Xpeng can train. At least until Tesla's FSD enters the Chinese market, Xpeng G6's autonomous driving capabilities will have a significant advantage over Tesla Model Y.

The race against Model Y must continue

The competition in the new energy vehicle market is fierce, and there are no signs of the price war abating. Riding on the golden consumption seasons of September and October, Xpeng's sales have shown a notable rebound. However, sales of competitors have also increased significantly. In terms of individual model sales, MONA M03 is undoubtedly the growth driver, with 10,023 units sold in September. While the P7+ has yet to gain significant volume, G6, once considered Xpeng's volume driver, has not performed as impressively on paper.

Admittedly, the high-end pure electric market is challenging, and many emerging automakers rely on range extenders to boost sales. Tesla Model Y stands out as an exception, facing numerous competitors with superior parameters and experiences yet unmatched in sales scale. This undoubtedly reflects a group effect, demonstrating that the high-end pure electric market is viable; Chinese new energy vehicle startups are striving to change consumer perceptions, but it will take time.

Competing head-to-head with Tesla Model Y will remain a goal for new energy vehicle startups in the coming years. Xpeng will not abandon its efforts to refine and promote G6. The significant overhaul of its exterior design, catering to mainstream aesthetics, is effectively a sign of “listening to advice.” From Electric Car Channel's perspective, roughly half of the obstacles facing Xpeng G6 stem from its appearance. Maintaining its original software and hardware advantages, the new G6 will be more readily accepted by the market. Furthermore, in the second half of next year, Xpeng's extended-range electric vehicles will also hit the market, with all layouts geared towards boosting sales.

The exposure of the new Tesla Model Y and Xpeng G6 is so closely timed that a confrontation between the two seems inevitable.

G6 holds a strategic position within the Xpeng brand, requiring courage to swim against the tide in a cooling pure electric market. Regaining its status as a blockbuster is crucial. Moreover, with an increasing number of competitors in this price range, including the Smart EV R7 and Letao L60, Xpeng G6 must refresh its design or risk being labeled as “stagnant.” Perhaps more information on the G6 refresh will emerge at this year's Guangzhou Auto Show.

Incidentally, it's time for Xpeng's long-overdue P7 to receive a refresh as well.

Source: Leitech