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A new 'range-extender' SUV that's set to be the largest and most opulent ever built by China's XPeng is a chance for local showrooms.
Family Cars
Chinese hybrid and electric-car maker XPeng has revealed what is expected to be its largest and most expensive SUV yet, the six-seat, range-extender hybrid GX.
Should it come to Australia, it may need a new name – to avoid a trademark clash with the Lexus GX off-roader – leaving the door ajar to it forming the basis of the G9L, a flagship SUV confirmed to top the XPeng Australia line-up later this year.
Unveiled in a small set of images posted online by XPeng, the GX – where X may reference the Roman numeral for 10 – appears to be larger than the current G9 electric SUV, with Range Rover-esque surfaces and lights.
Car News China speculates that it is 5.2 metres long, a similar size to a Nissan Patrol or BMW X7, and competitive with the Zeekr 9X, Lynk and Co 900, and a new breed of super-sized SUVs from Chinese brands.
It is a six-seater, a step beyond the five-seat layout of the regular-length G9 sold in overseas markets, though its interior is yet to be revealed.
Unlike all XPengs currently sold in Australia, the GX will reportedly be a range-extender vehicle, where its wheels are driven by electric motors, but a small petrol engine is on hand to charge the battery pack when it runs low.
XPeng has already rolled out range-extender technology overseas in the X9 people mover, using a 110kW 1.5-litre turbo engine as a generator for a 63.3kWh battery pack and a 210kW/465Nm rear electric motor.
Branded as the PowerX, it is rated with an electric-only driving range of 452km, and a total range of 1602km, both according to Chinese CLTC lab testing, which is considerably less stringent than the WLTP standard common in Australia.
The petrol engine is claimed to generate up to 3.2kWh of energy per litre burned, meaning a fill of the 60-litre tank would be enough to fully charge and deplete the battery three times.
The GX is likely to draw from the X9's specifications, though it is claimed to ride on a new 'SEPA 3.0 Physical AI' architecture distinct from the people mover.
What remains unclear is how the GX fits with the XPeng G9L, a new "flagship SUV" confirmed for Australian deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2026 (October to December).
Jason Clarke, CEO of XPeng's current local distributor TrueEV, told Drive in December the G9L would be an "upgraded vehicle" compared to the G9 sold in overseas markets.
"It looks like it's a bigger, upgraded vehicle, yes, than the existing G9 that we have on show that we've been evaluating here in Australia," he told Drive, indicating it would carry different styling, tech, and underpinnings to its sibling,
"Similar, but as the L might suggest, it's possibly going to have a longer wheelbase."
Asked if the G9L will be a seven-seater, Clarke said: "I would say it's not confirmed, but we're hoping for five-plus-two."
It opens the possibility for the G9L to be the renamed, export-market version of the GX, given the trademark for the GX badge in Australia is owned by Toyota for its Lexus GX luxury four-wheel-drive.
However, when asked if XPeng is considering range-extender models for Australia, Clarke suggested the technology may launch with a forthcoming set of vehicles due to be revealed in late 2026, rather than with the G9L.
"I think the Australian market likes that, and XPeng have certainly got that in development," the TrueEV boss said, "and I would say ... the two to three new models that are slated [to be announced] later in the year will include range extender variants."
Clarke said these models will see a "firm announcement" in the fourth quarter of this year, ahead of 2027 deliveries – though it is unclear if TrueEV will still be the distributor of XPeng vehicles in Australia by that time, as its lead role is due to be replaced by a head office-backed entity.
Order books of the XPeng G9L are due to open in the third quarter of 2026 (July to September), before deliveries commence in the fourth quarter.
Family Cars Guide
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
