XPeng has lifted the veil in China on its most ambitious SUV yet: the XPeng GX, a large flagship crossover widely expected to reach Europe from 2027 as the brand expands its presence in the large premium SUV segment.
Positioned at the top of XPeng’s lineup, the GX is designed from the ground up around XPeng’s SEPA 3.0 platform and its Kunpeng electric architecture, which supports ultra-fast charging, steer-by-wire controls, rear-wheel steering, and a broad suite of AI-enabled features.
EREV version first in China
At launch, official details have focused on an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) version, featuring a battery-electric drivetrain augmented by a small gasoline-powered generator.
This configuration promises industry-leading real-world range, with regulatory filings and early reports targeting over 1,000 km of total range and charging times from roughly 10 percent to 80 percent in about a dozen minutes under optimal conditions.
Alongside the EREV, a pure battery-electric BEV version of the GX is also expected. XPeng has not yet published official specifications for this variant. Still, its shared 800-volt architecture strongly suggests that fast charging and competitive long-distance capability will carry over into the BEV iteration once details are released.
Based on XPeng’s existing electric models, industry observers expect a large battery pack and a WLTP-equivalent range comfortably above 500 km, although exact figures remain unconfirmed as of early 2026.
Range Rover lookalike
A defining talking point around the GX is its styling: the SUV bears a striking resemblance to the contemporary Range Rover in silhouette and proportions, leading many observers to describe it as Range Rover-inspired.
While XPeng has adopted a similarly upright, minimalist aesthetic with a floating roof and strong horizontal lines, the GX tries to retain its own identity through lighting signatures and detailing, underscoring the brand’s ambition to compete visually in a segment long dominated by European luxury marques.
Whether that ambition extends to European rivals remains an open question. XPeng has not yet confirmed a European launch date for the GX, either as an EREV or a BEV.
However, industry expectations point to a full Chinese-market debut in late 2026, followed by potential overseas homologation in 2027, should demand and regulation allow.
Fully electric, more logical for Europe?
Europe’s regulatory environment, increasingly centred on zero-emission vehicles, would make a BEV version of the GX the more straightforward candidate for approval and positioning, particularly as the European Union continues to tighten emissions rules.
At the same time, EU tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles add another layer of complexity, potentially affecting pricing and competitiveness unless XPeng absorbs part of the cost, localises production in the long term, or carefully positions the GX in a higher market segment.
An EREV version, while attractive for range-conscious buyers, would face not only these tariff pressures but also additional emissions certification hurdles, making its European introduction more challenging and politically sensitive.
If it does arrive in Europe, the GX would enter a fiercely competitive large-SUV segment. Potential rivals include the electric Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, Audi Q8 e-tron, Volvo EX90, and BMW iX, as well as electrified versions of traditional flagships such as the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, and the electric Range Rover.
Against these, XPeng can not compete on heritage or off-road pedigree, but has to bet on software-driven features, charging speed, interior technology, and likely aggressive pricing.
Hedin’s Chinese BEV strategy
XPeng already has a foothold in Europe, and in Belgium in particular, through its partnership with Hedin Automotive, which serves as the brand’s exclusive importer and distributor in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Through Hedin, XPeng currently sells models, such as the G9 full-size electric SUV, the G6 mid-size SUV, and the P7+ electric sedan, all offered exclusively as battery-electric vehicles in Europe, reflecting both XPeng’s and Hedin Automotive’s clear BEV-first strategy for Chinese imports into the EU.
Hedin Automotive is also the Belgian importer of Hongqi, another Chinese brand pursuing the upper end of the market with models such as the large electric E-HS9 SUV.
While Hongqi leans more heavily on traditional luxury cues and brand heritage rooted in state prestige, XPeng’s approach is distinctly technology-first.
Should the GX eventually be introduced alongside Hongqi products in Belgium, customers could see two very different interpretations of Chinese premium mobility sharing the same retail space: one focused on digital innovation and electrification, the other on classic luxury presentation.
