Turns out a bike on a rack can be riskier than a whole trailer on tow. Owners of some Xpeng G6 and G9 models have been told to skip bike racks and cargo platforms on the standard folding electric tow hitch, at least for now. The reason sounds almost absurd, but it's real: the mechanism can lose its lock and partially fold up while the car is moving. European owners have already reported several such cases.
Xpeng itself is confirming the issue carefully. In a message to customers, the company says that after complaints and its own technical investigation, it found a potential fault in the hitches on a limited number of G6 and G9 units. Until further notice, owners are asked not to use the hitch for vertical loads — bike racks and similar accessories above all. Here's the genuinely surprising part: the ban doesn't extend to regular trailer towing.
Pulling a trailer or caravan is still fine, as long as you stay within the standard limits. For current G6 and G9 models, the official German configurator lists a towing capacity of up to 1,500 kg and a maximum vertical load on the ball of 75 kg. The difference comes down to how the load behaves. A bike rack presses down on the ball and the locking mechanism constantly and with its full weight, while a trailer's weight mostly rests on its own axle.
It's specifically with hitch-mounted accessories that AutoWeek collected reports of the folding hitch suddenly dropping down, dragging the attached rack along the road. One G9 owner said the mechanism let go at around 110 km/h (68 mph). Another case, involving a G6, happened with three bikes loaded — at a combined weight the owner says was noticeably below the allowed 75 kg. These accounts confirm the risk is real. What they don't show is how often it happens or the full list of affected batches.
Xpeng is already working on a hitch upgrade and says it will invite affected customers to dealers for a free fix once the solution is ready. The exact VIN range, the root cause, and the number of vehicles involved haven't been made public yet. Until then, owners of G6 and G9 models with the folding hitch are better off waiting for direct word from Xpeng or their dealer — and leaving the bike rack off in the meantime.
