First drive in XPeng Motors’ G9: It’s a shame this SUV isn’t sold in the US, because it’s a winner
It’s been nearly a two-year journey since XPeng Motors originally announced its mid-sized luxury SUV, the G9 – a model born into expectations from its creators as a potential best seller in its respective segment. I recently found myself on a tour through Europe that included the Netherlands and thought, “The G9 recently arrived here, why not ask XPeng for a loaner to tour the countryside in?” Luckily XPeng obliged, and I got a the full helping on the G9 I so desired. I was not disappointed.
XPeng’s G9 SUV was first announced in November of 2021 with some impressive specs, including the Chinese automaker’s first model to feature its XPILOT 4.0 ADAS, as well as ultra-fast charging thanks to its 800V Silicon Carbide (SiC) platform and battery cells from trusted names like EVE, CALB, and CATL.
When the G9 officially launched in China in September of 2022, XPeng was touting it as the “fastest charging EV in the world,” able to replenish from 10-80% in 20 minutes on XPeng’s network of 480 kW S4 chargers and gather 200 km (124 miles) of range in just five minutes of charging.
Demand overseas was incredible, but so was the confusion about nomenclature of its trim levels, originally announcing beffudled combinations of numbers and letters before introducing better differentiators like “Pro” and “Max” to the mix.
Still, the debut of the G9 carried XPeng Motors for a while as deliveries of its older models began to slip. Its latest model, the G6, has helped lighten the load for its larger sibling since, but the G9 remains a popular model – especially as it makes it way over to new markets in Europe.
Recently traveling through the EU myself, I had plans to visit Amsterdam and from there take a day trip about an hour and fifteen minutes south to the town of Waalwijk, where my great grandfather grew up. Having driven with XPeng in the Netherlands before, I thought what better opportunity to test out the G9? Especially since I had my family with me and could use the extra space for them.
What a joy this day was, taking a climb up the family tree while spending hours in a luxury EV I wish were available in my native homeland. Here are my thoughts.
The G9 is easily the best XPeng Motors model I’ve driven
Upon first receiving delivery of the G9, two elements quickly stood out – its size and its quality. Even coming down the road next to the canals of Amsterdam during daylight, you cannot mistake XPeng’s front fascia and running lights.
As I mentioned before, I had driven the original P7 and the ill-fated (in the EU at least) P5 – both of which are sedans although the P5 is much larger. Still, the G9 is significantly larger than both, even as a mid-sized SUV. Admittedly, not ideal for the narrow turns of the parking garage I stored it overnight in, but I’ll dig into that more in a bit.
When I first got inside, the quality and attention to detail was unmistakable. I received the AWD Performance version of the G9 – brand new, complete with a beautiful “Saddle” nappa leather interior and a Dynaudio Confidence sound system with Dolby Atmos. Let’s stick with the interior first while we’re on the subject.
My parents found welcomed comfort in both the front passenger and rear seats, as they both reclined and offered lumbar support. The front even has a leg rest that comes up as you recline. If my mom hadn’t been in the front, my dad could have pressed XPeng’s “boss button” on the right rear door that completely moves the passenger seat up.
The cabin stayed extra cool and breathing was easy thanks to the G9’s XfreeBreath air purification system with a pollen filter (I have allergies). As a larger EV with a near 3,000mm wheelbase, there was tons of passenger space, as well as cargo room in the trunk (660L). Buttons in the back enable the seats to automatically fold down, and below the trunk was an additional storage compartment (seen below).
The frunk was average, but I’d imagine it would be nice to have for additional storage of stroopwafels, cold Heineken, and other Dutch delicacies. You can get a better feel for everything from the images I snapped, so take a look while we transition into the specs of the G9 and the drive itself.
Driving the G9 around the Netherlands
Alright, first things first. To understand my drive, you must first know the specs I was dealing with when driving the AWD Performance version of XPeng Motors’ G9. This top-tier trim in the EU features two motors combining for 405 kW of output power and 717 Nm of torque.
The SUV can reach a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) and accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 3.9 seconds – she may be big, but she goes. The top two trims of the G9, including the AWD Performance, both feature a 98 kWh NMC battery pack which offers 520km (323 miles) of range (WLTP).
As previously touched upon, one of the G9’s most impressive features is the ability of XPeng Motors’ 800V platform to enable charge rates up to 300 kW on a DC charger. I also got a full taste of the automakers proprietary Xmart OS and XPILOT 2.5 ADAS, powered by a NVIDIA Orin-X chip (unfortunately XPILOT 4.0 isn’t available in the EU yet).
Alright, so taking off through Amsterdam is wild if you’ve never experienced it before. You are driving through a bustling flow of bikes, bus lanes, and single lane roads where vehicles are going both directions. You have to keep your eyes and ears up to say the least.
Having air conditioned seats in the interior was clutch as my back was already sweating trying to get out of the parking garage without giving the G9 a new beauty mark up its entire side, and Amsterdam traffic didn’t make things easier, but we made it.
Initial thoughts were how quiet the cabin was – like eerily, but refreshingly quiet. I was admittedly so consumed with safely exiting the city center and testing out all the features of the G9 that we spent a majority of our trip to Waalwijk in silence. Welcomed silence.
Another key feature I want to point out is the navigational capabilities of XPeng Motors’ Xmart OS, present in the G9. Even since my last drive in the Netherlands with XPeng, the automaker’s software has come a long way in terms of being adapted for Europe. The navigation was intuitive, easy to follow from any display, and most of all, dependable.
If you’ve followed some of my previous drives, you know I’ll usually test the OS before I ultimately switch to CarPlay – my preferred method of operation. Not needed here. The G9’s maps and directions were amazing and even visually directed me as to what lane I should be in when exiting or turning.
When I got out on some open road, I was dying to test out XPILOT although it was only 2.5. I promise I will get to China and test out XNGP, including hands-free City NGP, but for now we have to settle for eyes up and hands on the wheel. Still, XPILOT worked like a charm and made the views of the Dutch countryside that much easier to enjoy. Check it out:
When I wasn’t using the ADAS, I found the dual motors of the G9 fun as hell to drive. Switching lanes and overtaking other vehicles was an absolute treat in the SUV as its acceleration was instantaneous and powerful to say the least. I felt confident passing anyone and everyone and was able to bob and weave when needed, even for a larger vehicle.
There was a point in the drive where I seriously had an epiphany as to how quiet and smooth the ride actually is. The specs from XPeng Motors say the G9 has a double wishbone independent suspension in the front and a multi-link independent suspension in the rear. Perhaps its the dual chamber air springs, or electromagnetic adjusted dampers included on the AWD Performance trim, but damn, this is a smooth ride. The longer I drove this one, the more I fell in love.
Overall, I think the G9 is a slam dunk and understand why XPeng Motors put a lot of faith in its success in China. As for the EU market, I think it’s a little too big, so I’m not sure how it will fare. I really struggled in the urban sprawl of Amsterdam, but had no trouble driving or parking out in the countryside, so perhaps this SUV will still do well with EU consumers outside of crowded cities.
I think US consumers would eat this EV up, as long as they can get over its association with China (which they should). If it were available in the US today, I would seriously consider getting one, even through I’m a single guy with no kids or pets. Even for runs to Costco or shorter road trips, I’d love to be the one driving everyone if I were in this EV.
Looking ahead, my next two goals will be to experience the full suite of XPeng’s technology in China, including XNGP. I also want to test drive the new G6 compact SUV, whether that its China or the EU. I’ll work on that and report back soon, promise!
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Environment
Podcast: Apple CarPlay in Tesla cars, VW on Superchargers, Toyota electric pickup, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Apple CarPlay possibly coming to Tesla cars, VW getting access to Superchargers, a Toyota electric pickup, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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US EV sales declined in October following the expiration of the $7,500 federal tax credit on September 30, and the average transaction price (ATP) edged up, according to initial estimates from Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive brand. However, there are still deals to be had.
Kelley Blue Book’s initial estimates show that US EV sales fell to 74,835 in October, down 48.9% from September, which was a record month, and 30.3% year-over-year.
Prices also ticked up. The average transaction price (ATP) for a new EV climbed 1.6% month-over-month to $59,125, which is 2.3% higher than a year ago.
Tesla didn’t escape the downturn, but it held up better than the overall EV market. The company’s ATP fell 1.1% from September to $53,526, and its prices are 5.5% lower than they were in October 2024. Sales of the Model 3 and Model Y both declined month-over-month, and overall Tesla sales decreased by 35.3% from September and 23.6% year-over-year, which are smaller declines compared to the broader EV segment.
Cox Automotive senior analyst Stephanie Valdez Streaty said the shift wasn’t surprising:
We expected this shift in the electric vehicle market. With the IRA-backed sales incentives gone, lower-cost EV volume was hit hard, pushing the mix toward more luxury and driving October’s EV ATP to a 2025 high of $59,125 – now $9,359 above the industry average. Affordability has always been the core challenge with EV sales, and this reset only underscores how critical it is to bring more attainable EV options to market.
Electrek’s Take
September was a record-breaking month for both EV deals and sales. Dealers were offering all sorts of sweet incentives to stack with the federal tax credit to move cars off the lot. October’s sales drop was entirely anticipated, like a pounding headache after a big blowout party.
We didn’t know what the post-federal tax credit EV market would look like. As Valdez Streaty rightly states, EVs do have a higher ATP than the industry average. But it turns out that, so far, it’s not all doom and gloom, and the federal tax credit isn’t the only incentive in town.
Every month, I compile great EV lease deals, and for the last few months, some EVs’ monthly lease payments have been cheaper than before the federal tax credit expired. Many states are still offering rebates on EV purchases, and dealers still have really good deals. While cheaper models would definitely be welcome, there are good deals available right now.
And let’s not forget the fact that EVs are much cheaper to drive than gas cars, with or without that tax credit.
Read more: From $189 a month: 5 of the best EV lease deals in November [Updated]
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The Oshkosh-built Striker Volterra Electric Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighter (ARFF) packs advanced battery technology to deliver ultra-fast emergency response performance no matter how long it needs to be in action — and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport just put six of the awesome 6×6 machines to work!
Oshkosh has been manufacturing ARFF vehicles since it first launched the MB-5 for use by the US Navy back in 1968, and they’ve been pushing the envelope of disaster response performance ever since. The company’s latest ARFF, the Striker Volterra Electric shown here, features a slanted body with front bumper designed for maneuvering through the ditches and rough terrain they might encounter on a damaged runway. It’s also big — but it’s big for a purpose. Because ARFF vehicles don’t have to navigate the confines of city streets, they can be built bigger, carry more water, more rescue equipment, and more personnel than conventional fire trucks.
As the newest members of the DFW Fire-Rescue fleet, these Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles represent a significant step in DFW’s broader plan to replace its legacy fleet with a modern, electrified response system, while also making DFW the largest Striker Volterra Electric ARFF fleet operator in the US.
“Enhancing performance by reducing response times is the key driver of transitioning to these new vehicles,” said Daniel White, DFW Fire-Rescue Chief. “The Striker Volterra vehicles are faster and more agile than our current fleet. Because they are also safe for our firefighters and conscious for the environment, this investment represents a rare win-win-win, delivering operational benefits while ensuring the safety of our responders and the community we serve.”
The Striker Volterra Electric 6×6 ARFF uses a proprietary Oshkosh electric powertrain and an electro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission (read: CVT) paired to an integrated diesel generator. The setup enables zero-emission electric operation during normal station entry, standby, and low-speed tasks, eliminating firefighter exposure to their ARFF’s diesel exhaust 99% of the time. For sustained high-power demands during active fire suppression, the system seamlessly draws from both the battery and generator, ensuring uninterrupted pumping power and performance without operator intervention.
“Our commitment goes far beyond delivering a vehicle,” said Travis Ownby, sales specialist with Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. “It’s about helping departments like DFW Fire-Rescue lead the way in operational excellence and sustainability. We’re proud to support their mission with the Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles.”
The addition of the Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles also supports DFW’s transition to fluorine-free firefighting foam in line with FAA guidance and the industry’s move away from PFAS-based agents for a more environmentally responsible response capability across the airport.
Electrek’s Take
With the relatively short distances driven and extreme loads involved, airports present a nearly ideal use case for battery-electric vehicles in general, and their immediate off-the-line torque, improved efficiency, and ability to operate much more quietly than diesels (facilitating emergency crews’ communications) could make all the difference in an emergency situation where lives are quite literally on the line.
Plus, as demand for on-road fossil fuels drops, airports and airlines (historically responsible for about 4% Earth’s global warming) are becoming a bigger and bigger slice of a rapidly shrinking pie when it comes to fossil fuel emissions. Or, as OshKosk put it, “As airports continue to prioritize sustainability and operational efficiency, the Striker Volterra electric ARFF stands out as a forward-thinking solution that meets today’s demands while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.”
It’s a bit pitchy, but I couldn’t agree more.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Oshkosh.
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