The G6 is Xpeng’s first model to go on sale here in Malaysia, with more expected to come our way based on what was said during a press conference following the launch of the electric vehicle (EV) yesterday.
While Xpeng has a number of models in its line-up, not all of them are available in right-hand drive guise. In May this year, the Chinese carmaker confirmed it would launch the G6 and X9 in Hong Kong, a RHD market like ours.
We have already welcomed the G6, but it remains to be seen if the X9 will join it in the near future. In any case, here’s what you need to know about the Xpeng X9. First making its debut at Xpeng’s 1024 Tech Day in October 2023 before being launched in China in January this year, the X9 is a large premium MPV that shares the brand’s Smart Electric Platform Architecture 2.0 (SEPA 2.0) platform with the G6 SUV.
Notable competitors come in the form of the Zeekr 009, Denza D9, and if you’re talking about Hong Kong and most ASEAN countries, the venerable Toyota Alphard/Vellfire. At 5,293 mm long, 1,988 mm wide, 1,785 mm tall and with a wheelbase spanning 3,160 mm, the X9 is larger than Toyota’s MPVs and comparable in size to the Zeekr and Denza, although the former’s 009 has the longest wheelbase among these Chinese offerings.
Unlike rival MPVs that have a “flat” rear window, the one on the X9 is angled for a more unique look and gives off a Citroen Xsara Picasso vibe. Other design cues include a dual-tier front lighting setup (upper DRLs and lower main headlamps), a honeycomb mesh pattern for the lower intake, flush pop-out door handles and sliding rear doors.
Inside, the X9 follows the minimalism trend that sees almost all vehicle controls being integrated into its 17.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is joined by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Being a luxury-focused people mover, there’s also a 21.4-inch display for rear passengers and “airline-style” seats in the second row with heating, ventilation and massage functions. Regular leather upholstery is standard, with more premium Nappa leather being an optional extra.
The X9 is a seven-seater featuring a 2-2-3 layout, with the third-row bench sporting electrical adjustment for the backrest and headrest. Other niceties include a large panoramic glass roof, an Xopera 23-speaker sound system with 2,180W of amplification, a refrigerator and the comprehensive Xpilot suite of advanced driver assistance systems.
Pricing for the X9 starts at 359,800 yuan (about RM219k) and goes all the way up to 419,800 yuan (RM256k). The MPV can be had with a single-motor, front-wheel drive or dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup, the former available in two battery capacities.
Starting with the FWD options, the base specification features an 84.5-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for up to 610 km of range following the very generous CLTC standard. This powers a front-mounted electric motor rated at 320 PS (315 hp or 235 kW) and 450 Nm, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 7.7 seconds and top speed of 200 km/h
There’s also a FWD variant with a 101.5-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery and the same electric motor at the front for up to 702 km of range. As for the AWD variant, it uses the same NMC battery but its dual electric motors provide 503 PS (496 hp or 370 kW) and 640 Nm for a reduced century sprint time of 5.7 seconds and the same 200 km/h top speed, but with less range at 640 km.
All batteries for the X9 support DC fast charging, with the carmaker preferring to rate them as “3C superfast charging,” where the ‘C’ indicates how many times a battery can be charged in one hour. In this case, the MPV will get from a 10-80% state of charge in at least 20 minutes. There’s also a vehicle-to-load (V2L) system capable of outputting 3.3 kW to power devices and accessories.
Other aspects of the powertrain are dual-chamber air suspension with variable damping as well as rear-axle steering, the latter being particular useful for a vehicle of this size. Regardless of variant, all X9s sold in China come standard with 19-inch wheels, with 20-inch units being an option.
It all sounds very promising but it is still not confirmed if the X9 will be sold in Malaysia. If ever the Xpeng MPV comes to Malaysia, it will have to fend off the 009 that has already been confirmed for our market, the established Alphard/Vellfire as well as the hopefully-coming-our-way D9. Which would you go for?
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This shd come here. Better if got phev version. Looks nice & futuristic. Come on japs, plz bring some latest mpv like Serena c28, stepwagon, Voxy. Bring those with hybrid version. Msia got huge demand for midsize mpv.
need to see this in the flesh tbh because am not sure about that rear