Still want that Tesla Model Y? Xpeng lands in UK with electric G6

Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng has officially landed in the UK, and its G6 SUV is available to order now, with deliveries starting in March.

The G6 is priced from £39,990, undercutting the current cheapest Tesla Model Y, the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, by £7,000. Tesla’s new Model Y, codenamed Juniper, was announced earlier in 2025 but won’t be arriving in the UK until May, and prices for the Launch Series version start at £60,990, with other variants due later.

A mid-size electric SUV with a sloping, coupe-esque roofline, the G6 is a direct rival to the Tesla Model Y but with a few key improvements. These include how the Xpeng uses an 800-volt electric system, which is twice that of the Tesla and enables a faster maximum charge rate, of up to 280 kW. The Xpeng also benefits from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both of which are missing from all Tesla cars.

Although the Xpeng name might not be familiar to UK readers, the brand launched in 2014 and expanded from its native China at the start of the decade. Its cars are currently sold in several European markets, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Xpeng says it plans to open 20 dealerships across the UK in 2025, thanks to a partnership with International Motors, which also handles the sales and servicing of vehicles from Subaru, Isuzu and fellow Chinese brand GWM Ora.

There are two versions of G6 available to pre-order, called Standard Range and Long Range. The latter, which has a claimed maximum WLTP range of 354 miles, starts at £44,990. This compares favourably to the Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, which costs £46,990 and has a range of 351 miles. Tesla’s new Model Y, due in May and currently priced from £60,990, has a WLTP range of 353 miles.

Although it can go further, the Xpeng G6 is slower than its American rival, with a 0-62 mph time of 6.2 seconds, compared to 5.7 seconds (albeit to 60 mph) for the current Model Y and 4.1 second for the new variant.

Inside, the five-seat Xpeng G6 has a huge 15-inch central touchscreen for the infotainment system, plus a 10.2-inch driver display behind the steering wheel. The cabin is also equipped with a pair of 50-watt wireless smartphone chargers, plus electrically adjustable heated seats and steering wheel. All variants have 20-inch wheels and a panoramic glass roof, four USB ports, a 960-watt sound system with 18 speakers, and V2L (vehicle to load) technology for powering domestic appliances like camping gear.

Xpeng says the G6 can charge its battery from 10 to 80% in less than 20 minutes. The battery capacity options are 66 kWh and 87.5 kWh.

When I drove the Xpeng G6 in the Netherlands last year I found it rode better than the Tesla Model Y, with more comfortable suspension and a more traditional cabin layout that shuns Tesla’s minimalism in favour of familiarity. It misses out on physical mirror controls though, which is a pain.

It’ll be interesting to see how the G6 feels in the UK, but I suspect some buyers will buy it over the Tesla simply because it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – not to mention it offers better value, too.