The phrase “Tesla beater” gets thrown around far too easily in the EV world.
Over the last few years, plenty of manufacturers have produced EVs that beat Tesla in individual areas — whether that’s interior quality, comfort, technology, efficiency or charging speed.
But Tesla keeps moving the benchmark.
With the latest Highland and Juniper updates, the Model 3 and Model Y have become even more compelling packages.
So when I picked up the G6 Performance, I was genuinely curious to see whether XPENG had built something that could challenge it as an overall package, rather than simply beat it on a specification sheet.
And after a week, I think the answer is actually quite interesting.
First, the price.
The G6 Performance comes in at £49,990.
That immediately puts it into an interesting position.
It’s significantly cheaper than an equivalent Tesla Model Y Performance, while also avoiding the UK’s Luxury Car Tax threshold.
And for the money, XPENG has thrown an awful lot at it.
You get:
AWD 490 PS 80 kWh battery Very rapid DC charging Up to 451 kW charging capability with the right charger Panoramic roof Premium audio Large central touchscreen Proper driver display Advanced driver assistance systems Self-parking technology Plenty of room for five adults A genuinely useful boot
It feels like XPENG has taken the approach of giving you as much technology and equipment as possible for the money.
And that continues once you get inside.
The interior
The G6 has a very modern, minimalist interior.
The large central screen dominates the dashboard, but unlike some competitors, XPENG has also retained a proper driver display directly in front of you.
That’s something I appreciate.
I know some manufacturers are increasingly moving towards putting everything on a central screen or head-up display, but having the key information directly in front of you still makes sense to me.
The cabin is spacious too.
There’s plenty of room for four adults and, realistically, five adults can travel without feeling like they’ve drawn the short straw.
Rear passenger space is particularly good, and the panoramic roof makes the cabin feel even more open.
There are also plenty of clever touches throughout the car.
The technology generally feels well integrated rather than simply being there for the sake of having a long equipment list.
And then we get to one of my favourite features…
Self-parking
Is it a gimmick?
Maybe.
But it’s a brilliant gimmick.
There’s something strangely satisfying about getting out of the car and watching it park itself.
It’s not something I necessarily need every day, but it’s exactly the sort of technology that makes you smile when you use it.
And that sums up quite a lot of the G6.
There’s plenty here that you could describe as unnecessary — but it makes the car feel technologically interesting.
But then there’s the charging…
This is where the G6 Performance really surprised me.
It is ridiculously quick.
Throughout my week with the car, I tried it on a number of different chargers and genuinely struggled to find one where the car failed to make full use of the available charging capability.
Obviously, the charger itself is the limiting factor.
You can have a car capable of accepting huge amounts of power, but if the charger can only provide 150 kW, that’s all you’re going to get.
But put the G6 on a suitably capable charger and things get very interesting indeed.
I’ve driven a lot of EVs.
I’ve driven cars that charge quickly.
But I’m yet to see another EV charge this quickly in the real world.
In fact, in my experience, the G6 Performance even outpaces the IM5 Long Range — which has been my personal benchmark for fast-charging cars.
The slightly ridiculous thing is that the car’s charging capability is arguably ahead of the charging infrastructure available to most UK drivers.
Finding a charger capable of giving the G6 everything it can take is currently the bigger challenge.
That tells you just how serious XPENG has been about charging.
And then there’s efficiency.
This was another area where the G6 surprised me.
You have an 80 kWh battery.
You have AWD.
You have 490 PS.
This is not exactly a recipe for efficiency.
Yet throughout my mixed driving, the G6 consistently managed to exceed its WLTP figure.
And yes…
I had the air conditioning on.
That’s important because real-world EV efficiency can be dramatically different from the headline figures.
Obviously, your results will vary depending on speed, temperature, driving style, traffic and weather.
But seeing the G6 outperform its official figure during a normal week of driving was genuinely impressive.
What is it like to drive?
The G6 Performance is quick.
Very quick.
490 PS and AWD means it has no shortage of performance, and overtaking is effortless.
But it doesn’t feel like XPENG has simply built a car designed to win a drag race.
It’s also comfortable and easy to live with.
That matters.
Because ultimately, most of the time you aren’t using 490 PS.
You’re commuting.
You’re sitting in traffic.
You’re taking the kids somewhere.
You’re doing the weekly shop.
You’re driving down a motorway.
And in those situations, the G6 feels like a very capable everyday EV.
It has the performance when you want it, but it doesn’t constantly remind you that you bought a performance version.
The things I didn’t like
Of course, it isn’t perfect.
There are a few omissions that I found genuinely strange.
The first is the lack of a frunk.
With so much space under the bonnet in an EV, I always like having somewhere to store charging cables or other items that you don’t necessarily want taking up boot space.
But the bigger surprise?
There’s no glovebox.
Yep.
No glovebox.
You have storage elsewhere in the cabin, but I still find the absence of a traditional glovebox rather bizarre.
It’s one of those decisions that makes you wonder why.
There are also areas where Tesla still has an advantage, particularly when it comes to the maturity of its software ecosystem and the wider ownership experience that has developed around the brand.
And that’s important.
Buying an EV isn’t just about horsepower, battery size and charging speed.
The software, apps, charging network, servicing, reliability and overall ownership experience all matter.
So, is it better than a Tesla Model Y?
Honestly?
I don’t think there’s a simple yes or no answer.
In some areas, absolutely.
The charging speed is exceptional.
The amount of equipment you get for the money is impressive.
The interior space is good.
The technology is excellent.
The efficiency has surprised me.
And the performance is more than enough for pretty much anyone.
But there are areas where Tesla remains extremely strong.
The software experience, charging ecosystem, brand recognition and overall integration of the Tesla ownership experience are difficult to ignore.
And that’s why I think the “Tesla killer” conversation misses the point.
The EV market has matured.
It’s no longer enough to build an electric car with a big battery and a lot of power.
Consumers now have genuinely strong alternatives.
You can choose based on charging speed.
You can choose based on efficiency.
You can choose based on technology.
You can choose based on comfort.
You can choose based on practicality.
You can choose based on software.
Or you can choose based on the brand and ownership ecosystem.
Different cars will suit different people.
My biggest takeaway
After a week with the G6 Performance, the thing that sticks with me most isn’t actually the 490 PS.
It isn’t the panoramic roof.
It isn’t even the technology.
It’s the charging.
I’ve yet to experience an EV that can charge this quickly in the real world.
And that changes the conversation.
Because charging time is one of the biggest remaining frustrations for EV drivers.
If you’re able to add a huge amount of range during the time it takes to grab a coffee, the traditional idea of “charging an EV” starts to feel very different.
The irony is that the car is currently capable of charging faster than many of the chargers you’ll actually find.
But as the UK charging network continues to improve, that capability should become increasingly useful.
Final thoughts
So, has XPENG beaten Tesla?
I don’t think that’s the right question.
What XPENG has done is create an EV that deserves to be taken seriously.
The G6 Performance combines serious performance, impressive efficiency, an excellent level of standard equipment and, most importantly, some of the fastest charging I’ve experienced in any EV.
And it does all of that at a price that puts it firmly into the conversation with some very established competition.
There are compromises.
There are things I would change.
The missing glovebox still makes absolutely no sense to me.
But after a week, I’m left with a very positive impression.
XPENG might not have beaten Tesla at everything…
…but they’ve produced a car that can beat it in some important areas.
And perhaps more importantly, they’ve shown that the established players can’t afford to stand still.
The G6 Performance is a very interesting EV — and the charging capability alone makes it one I’d recommend putting on your test-drive list if you’re shopping for an electric SUV.
XPENG has definitely got my attention.
