1 day ago
13
Chinese marque Xpeng is considering gathering its first-ever ute, which could signifier arsenic a rival to vehicles specified arsenic the Toyota HiLux BEV, KGM Musso EV, MG U9 EV, and perchance adjacent the Tesla Cybertruck.
“You cannot accidental pickup, right? You person to accidental ‘ute’ successful Australia,” Xpeng vice president and president Brian Gu told media including CarExpert in Melbourne.
“The format astir apt is thing we are looking into. Clearly, it's not a large format successful China due to the fact that China doesn't thrust that format, but I recognize successful Australia, successful constricted countries successful Latin America, oregon successful Africa oregon Middle East, those are really beauteous popular.
“So, we are reasoning astir whether it's a format we privation to develop.”
Looking for your adjacent car? We'll assistance you research and compare so you take with confidence.
While the Tesla Model Y electrical SUV relegated the Ford Ranger ute from the apical of the income ladder successful Australia successful some May and June 2026, the Ford was the country's top-selling exemplary for the erstwhile 3 years.
It took implicit from the Toyota HiLux ute, which was Australia's best-selling conveyance from 2016 to 2022, with each top-10 marque offering a ute isolated from Chery, which volition motorboat its Stockman this year, and Hyundai, which is besides readying a ute.
The ute conception inactive made up 16.6 per cent of full new-vehicle income present betwixt January and June 2026, contempt being down from 19.2 per cent implicit the aforesaid play past year.
Xpeng's planetary exemplary scope uses 4 halfway platforms and, portion it includes ample SUVs specified arsenic the G9L and larger GX – which, astatine 5265mm long, is bigger than a Toyota LandCruiser (4995mm) and Range Rover Sport (4946mm) – some usage car-like monocoque construction.
The LandCruiser and utes specified arsenic the Ford Ranger usage body-on-frame, oregon ladder-frame, construction, which is preferred for its off-road capability, durability and towing ability.
The closest conveyance Xpeng presently offers is the chaotic Land Aircraft Carrier, which acts arsenic the 'mothership' for its Flying Car. However, it besides uses a bespoke level alternatively than accepted ladder-frame construction.
While Xpeng could perchance look to the Volkswagen Amarok, with the German automaker an capitalist successful the Chinese brand, its Ranger-derived ladder-frame level is portion of a commercial-vehicle sharing statement betwixt Ford and Volkswagen.
While not impossible, it means the Amarok's ladder-frame level is improbable to beryllium made disposable to Xpeng, adjacent if Ford CEO Jim Farley reportedly described Xpeng arsenic a institution "getting it right" successful 2023.
“It is going to necessitate rather antithetic improvement process arsenic the chassis and the requirements different,” Mr Gu added. “But that's thing we're looking into close now.”
It would travel Xpeng's comments that the marque is looking to make caller segments, with a luxury ladder-frame dual-cab ute presently not offered successful Australia.
Mr Gu didn't corroborate whether a imaginable Xpeng ute would usage a battery-electric powertrain oregon the brand's 'Kunpeng' extended-range electrical conveyance (EREV) technology, some of which are being offered arsenic part of a broader exemplary rollout successful Australia.
Tesla, which Xpeng Australia named arsenic 1 of its cardinal rivals, revealed the Cybertruck electrical pickup successful the United States successful 2019 and, portion it appears connected the section Tesla website, it's not presently sold here.
It uses exoskeleton operation alternatively than a accepted ladder-frame chassis.
Lexus, which Xpeng said its European limb has been taking customers from, told CarExpert at the 2025 Tokyo car amusement it had nary plans for a Lexus mentation of the Toyota HiLux, for example.
The HiLux is offered successful hybrid and battery-electric forms and, from 2028, volition besides beryllium offered present with hydrogen fuel-cell electrical vehicle (FCEV) technology, each utilizing the aforesaid ladder-frame chassis.
If Xpeng does make oregon root a ladder-frame platform, it could besides unfastened the mode for a much off-road-capable SUV, with Ford utilizing the aforesaid ladder-frame architecture for its Ranger ute and fashionable Everest SUV, for example.
“I deliberation SUVs, we recognize … we privation to marque definite it’s susceptible of being driven not conscionable successful the beauteous road lands, but that tin besides instrumentality connected definite benignant of wider municipality arsenic good arsenic immoderate constricted of constricted disconnected roadworthy capabilities," said Mr Gu.
Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng confirmed earlier this week that the institution would happily participate the US marketplace – where, similar Australia, body-on-frame utes and SUVs are highly fashionable – and adjacent unfastened factories there, if authorities argumentation were to change.
“America volition beryllium 1 of the astir important markets that we person to participate due to the fact that it volition assistance america to turn amended arsenic well,” the CEO told WardsAuto.
English (US) ·