Chinese brands are done being the “cheap alternative to Tesla” — now they are aiming straight at Lexus and BMW. XPeng is bringing its large electric X9 minivan to the UK and parking it, without apology, in the premium zone. The starting price is £74,990, or roughly $102,000. And here is the pointed argument: according to Auto Express, the hybrid Lexus LM, the model’s main benchmark, costs almost £25,000 more.
The line-up has three versions — Standard Range, Long Range and all-wheel-drive AWD. All ride on an 800-volt architecture, and here is the number worth pausing on: charging from 10% to 80% takes just 12 minutes. For a family car almost 5.3 metres long, that is no small thing. In a premium MPV, second-row luxury matters — but so does the ability to get straight back on a long journey instead of turning a stop into a half-hour break.
The base version gets a single front motor with 316 hp and 450 Nm. The Standard Range is set to use an 84.5 kWh LFP battery, the Long Range a 101.5 kWh NMC pack. Range lands at 332 and 382 miles — roughly 534 and 615 km. The all-wheel-drive X9 goes all in: 496 hp and 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. The price of that character is range, which drops to 360 miles, around 579 km. Speed is always paid for in kilometres.
XPeng calls the X9 a “starship of tomorrow,” and yes, there is a dose of marketing in that. But the options list really is closer to the executive class than to a family van. In China the model offers rear-wheel steering with a 10.8-metre turning circle — tight as a tiny MINI Cooper — along with air suspension, zero-gravity seats, a 23-speaker audio system and a 21.4-inch screen for rear passengers that folds down from the ceiling in the style of the BMW i7. This is a minivan with no intention of looking modest.
Practicality was not forgotten either. The third row folds electrically, and boot space grows to 2554 litres — enough, XPeng claims, for 29 carry-on suitcases. For Europe the format feels unusual: the market long ago drifted toward SUVs. Yet a large minivan on an electric platform may prove handier than a crossover — for a family, an airport transfer or a corporate fleet.
The X9 becomes XPeng’s second model in the UK after the G6 crossover. Next comes the more affordable L03, followed by the P7+ saloon, which faces a fight with the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal and Volkswagen ID.7. This is no longer a single experimental launch — it is a full range. The Chinese have arrived for the long haul.
Beyond the spec sheet, the X9 works as an indicator. Chinese brands no longer hide behind the “cheaper than Tesla” formula. They are moving onto the turf of Lexus, BMW and Mercedes, where the deciding factors are comfort, charging speed, range and trust in the service network. And they look increasingly at home there.
