Bigger than the G9, XPeng doubles down on the large SUV segment: SUVs and premiumization reach an inflection point
Bigger than the G9, another large SUV from XPeng is here!
Recently, car blogger @SugarDesign shared two spy photos of road tests submitted by netizens on the Weibo platform. The test vehicle is XPeng's new SUV - the XPeng G02.
(Image source: Weibo)
At present, the SUV models on sale by XPeng include the G6, G7, G9, etc., but none of them exceed 5 meters in length. Judging from the spy photos, the upcoming G02 is a real large SUV with a length of over 5 meters and a wheelbase approaching 3 meters, which will fill XPeng's gap in the large SUV market.
More importantly, according to the market research institution Jielanlu, the average price of XPeng cars in 2025 was only 172,000 yuan, showing a significant gap compared with Li Auto (average price of 300,000 yuan), NIO (average price of 346,000 yuan), and Wenjie (average price of 386,000 yuan).
Among the three leading new - energy vehicle startups, NIO and Li Auto are the dominant players in the luxury car market, while XPeng mainly focuses on mid - to mid - high - end products. The large SUV model G02 is a signal that XPeng is launching another charge into the high - end market.
Intelligent driving, hybrid power, and large space - XPeng has it all this time
Since the early exposure of the road test spy photos, detailed information about the XPeng G02 is unknown. We can only analyze the configuration of the XPeng G02 by piecing together clues.
In February this year, the XPeng GX was declared. This vehicle is positioned as a large SUV, with a length, width, and height of 5265/1999/1800mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 3115mm. Its internal code name at XPeng is "G01".
What is currently certain is that the XPeng GX is designed with six seats. As a large - scale SUV, the overall strength of the XPeng G02 will not differ much.
The relationship between the two models can be compared to that of the Land Rover Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. To avoid direct competition between the two models, the G02 is likely to adopt a five - seat design.
(Image source: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology declaration diagram)
The spy photos show that the front face of the XPeng G02 continues the family - style design, with a closed - type shape and a through - type daytime running light strip. Its appearance can be compared to that of the XPeng G9. The rear of the vehicle is relatively wide and thick, and the prominent bumper and circular clearance lamps highlight the vehicle's sense of power. Considering the vehicle's ground clearance and large - area windows, it is not difficult to see that this vehicle focuses on comfort.
(Image source: Weibo)
In terms of power, the XPeng G02 may offer two versions: a pure - electric version and an extended - range version. The pure - electric version is further divided into two versions: a single - motor version with a power of 270kW and a dual - motor version with 160kW in the front and 270kW in the rear. The range is unknown. Referring to the XPeng G9, Dianchetong believes that the range of the pure - electric version of the XPeng G02 is expected to exceed 700km under the CLTC working condition.
As for the extended - range version of the XPeng G02, the pure - electric range is expected to be around 400 kilometers. In recent years, hybrid models have been competing fiercely in terms of pure - electric range. The pure - electric range of large extended - range SUVs is generally over 300 kilometers. The pure - electric range of the Leapmotor D19 extended - range version even reaches 500 kilometers, seemingly treating the range extender as an "emergency measure".
(Image source: Leapmotor)
After the pure - electric range reaches 400 kilometers, combined with the ultra - high - power fast charging provided by the 800V platform, the vehicle can run on electricity throughout the journey even on the highway. As for the fuel tank, it is suitable for emergencies during holidays such as the Spring Festival, Labor Day, and National Day when the highway service areas are often full and it is difficult to find an available charging pile.
Of course, XPeng's core competitiveness - the second - generation VLA - will not be absent. Recently, XPeng's second - generation VLA has been launched, and consumers can go to XPeng car stores for a test drive at any time.
Dianchetong, which was the first to evaluate the second - generation VLA at the store, had the impression that there was no obvious difference.
When braking, accelerating, overtaking, and changing lanes, there is almost no sense of abruptness. It is always smooth and stable, and can accurately identify obstacles such as railings, bollards, and trucks on one - way roads. In terms of decision - making, XPeng's second - generation VLA pursues efficiency. It will change lanes and overtake decisively while ensuring safety to ensure trafficability. If you buy XPeng cars for their intelligent driving features, you will not be disappointed at least in terms of the experience.
(Image source: Shot by Dianchetong)
Now that we've talked about the configuration, it's time to discuss the price of the XPeng G02. Referring to similar models such as the Li L8 and Wenjie M8, Dianchetong boldly predicts that the price of the XPeng G02 will be between 300,000 and 400,000 yuan.
The size and positioning of the XPeng G02 are both higher than those of the XPeng G9, and its price is likely to be higher than that of the G9. Although the other configurations of this vehicle have not been exposed, from XPeng's existing models on sale, we can feel XPeng's sincerity in terms of configuration. No matter what the final price of the XPeng G02 is, it is basically certain that its configuration will match its price.
However, outstanding product strength does not necessarily mean high sales. XPeng's competitors are well - known brands such as Li Auto, Wenjie, NIO, Zeekr, and Denza. Some of these brands have been competing in the large SUV market for several years.
Can XPeng's first large SUV really beat them?
Is the XPeng G02 the savior of XPeng's SUVs?
In the past six months, the sales of XPeng's SUV models have generally shown a downward trend. As of February this year, the monthly sales of the XPeng G9 and G6 have dropped to three - digit numbers, and the sales of the XPeng G7 in February were only 1,094 units. Although the decline in XPeng's car sales is related to product replacement, the decline in the sales of XPeng's SUV models is still too exaggerated. From December last year to January this year, the total sales of the XPeng G6, G7, and G9 were halved.
Due to the confusing configuration and price of the XPeng G9, XPeng's car sales were once in a slump. What saved XPeng was not various cutting - edge technologies, but the accurate control of the market, specifically the MONA M03. To this day, the MONA M03 is still the mainstay of XPeng.
(Image source: Shot by Dianchetong)
After realizing the importance of the sinking market, XPeng reduced the prices and increased the configurations of the G6 and G7, and quickly gained market recognition. For a long time, their sales ranked among the top in the new - energy vehicle startups. As market competition intensifies, other car companies have taken the same path as XPeng. Models such as the Fangchengbao Ti 7, Tank 300, and Leapmotor C16 are constantly competing with XPeng for the SUV market share.
The XPeng G02 is an active move by XPeng, changing from a passive situation of having its market share snatched by other brands to actively competing for the market share of brands such as NIO, Li Auto, Zeekr, and Wenjie.
The luxury car market has high profit margins and is a battleground for car companies. For example, Xiaomi, which has created a sales miracle, has also exposed its first large SUV, the YU9. There has never been a shortage of capable car companies in this market. In the past, it was joint - venture and imported cars, and now it is domestic new - energy vehicle startups and some traditional car companies.
Compared with these car companies, XPeng's disadvantages are that its application and interconnection ecosystem are not as good as those of Wenjie (HarmonyOS Smart Mobility) and Xiaomi, its models in the 400,000 - yuan range have not been tested by the market, and its technological strength may not be as strong as that of Zeekr (Geely) and Denza (BYD).
XPeng's advantages are that compared with traditional brands, it is more intelligent, especially in terms of intelligent driving capabilities, and the second - generation VLA performs well. Compared with other new - energy vehicle startups, XPeng has always been more cost - effective, as seen in models such as the G6, G7, G9, and X9.
Considering that models from NIO, Li Auto, Wenjie, etc. have already established a foothold in the large SUV market, the XPeng G02 will probably focus on price and configuration to give full play to XPeng's advantages in market control.
(Image source: Shot by Dianchetong)
With the price cuts and configuration increases of competitors, the advantages of XPeng's SUV models such as the G6, G7, and G9 are becoming less and less obvious. This is not XPeng's fault but the result of market competition.
Entering the large SUV market requires a large amount of cost and high risks, but this market is an area that XPeng has not yet explored, which is an incremental market for XPeng. That's why XPeng is developing two large SUVs, the GX and G02, to fully enter the large SUV market.
In the eyes of Chinese consumers, brand value and image are never as important as product configuration and price. Although the G02 and GX are XPeng's first models to enter the large SUV market, with the intelligent driving experience of the second - generation VLA and the likely price and configuration advantages, they still have the opportunity to reverse the declining sales trend of XPeng's SUV models.
The XPeng G02 is just the beginning, and the MONA SUV is the real ace
The new - energy vehicle industry is constantly changing, and no one can accurately predict the future. In the three years after Xiaomi officially announced its entry into the car - making business, there were many rumors that Xiaomi had given up on car - making. However, the SU7 was a huge success. After the exposure of the YU7, some people thought that with NIO and Wenjie leading the way, Xiaomi had little chance in the SUV market. However, Xiaomi created another miracle. NIO's battery - swapping model was not initially favored, and its product sales were once low. But now, NIO's battery - swapping ecosystem covers the whole country, and the ES8 has ranked first in the sales of large SUVs in the Chinese market for three consecutive months.
After XPeng's car sales in February this year were announced, there were endless doubts on the Internet. The decline in XPeng's car sales is due to both product replacement and intensified market competition. A temporary decline in sales does not indicate much.
XPeng's technical foundation in the field of intelligent driving and the brand awareness accumulated through long - term operation have laid a foundation for XPeng. As long as XPeng launches a popular product, it is not difficult for its monthly sales to return to around 30,000 units after the low - sales period in spring ends.
(Image source: Shot by Dianchetong)
The large SUVs, the XPeng G02 and GX, are likely to be the key to reversing XPeng's situation. In addition to these two models, there have been frequent reports about the MONA SUV, which is expected to debut in the second half of this year. With advantages such as pure - electric power, high - level intelligent driving, low price, and large space, the MONA SUV is expected to replicate the success of the MONA M03 and become another mainstay of XPeng.
From XPeng's acceptance of extended - range power, it can be seen that XPeng can learn from market changes and actively meet consumers' needs. In the future, XPeng is expected to apply extended - range