In the new force of car manufacturing, XPeng Motors is undoubtedly a top player, and one of the points that XPeng takes pride in is "intelligence." Recently, XPeng has brought us a new medium-sized pure electric coupe SUV, which is claimed to be the "new benchmark of Chinese intelligent driving," that is, the XPeng G6. The new car is expected to be launched within June, and before its launch, we have also taken the opportunity to test drive this new car. Let's see if it is as intelligent as the promotion suggests, as if it were driven by an experienced driver. Let's take a look together.

Sleek, sporty, and futuristic appearance

The XPeng G6 is the first strategic model built under the SEPA 2.0 platform and is equipped with the industry's only mass-produced XNGP intelligent assistance driving system. In terms of appearance, the XPeng G6 adopts the same technology fluid aesthetic design concept as models such as the G9 and P7i. The front face design with a closed grille and a circular light strip creates a very simple and technologically rich visual effect.

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The XPeng G6 provides a total of 31 intelligent driving perception components, including front-facing dual LiDAR, cameras, millimeter-wave radars, and ultrasonic radars, and is equipped with dual Orin-X chips, boasting a super computing power of 508Tops. The new car has taken the lead in the class in terms of perception hardware and computing power.

On the side of the car body, you can see that the XPeng G6 adopts a very typical coupe SUV design with a sloping back, which also makes the whole car appear very streamlined and dynamic. Thanks to 17 low drag designs such as hidden door handles, its drag coefficient is only 0.248Cd. In terms of body size, the length, width, and height of the XPeng G6 are 4753/1920/1650mm, respectively, and the wheelbase is 2890mm.The test-drive model featured a five-spoke aluminum alloy wheel design, equipped with Michelin PS EV series tires, sized 255/45 R20. From the name, it is evident that these tires are specifically designed for electric vehicles, emphasizing grip while also considering range performance.

The rear design of the Xiaopeng G6 is relatively rounded and three-dimensional, with flared shoulder lines that also bring a good sense of strength. The taillights also adopt a through-style design, which not only echoes the front but also offers good recognizability. The new car can be equipped with an adaptive electric spoiler, which can automatically adjust the spoiler's angle based on the vehicle speed, giving it a very sporty appearance.

The interior is simple, clean, and of high quality.

The interior of the Xiaopeng G6 adopts the Circle of Life vector star ring design language, integrating physical buttons into the central control screen as much as possible, making the minimalist design look very clean and tidy. The interior materials are also very particular, with skin-friendly fabrics used on the dashboard, central armrest, and door panels, bringing a good sense of quality.

The new car features a newly designed two-spoke oval steering wheel, with the control area composed of buttons and rollers, making the functions clear and easy to understand. The steering wheel is also wrapped in soft leather material, providing a comfortable and soft grip. Additionally, following the electric vehicle convention, the new car also offers a column-mounted shift mechanism.Xiaopeng G6 is equipped with a built-in 10.2-inch LCD instrument cluster and a 14.96-inch floating central control screen. The new vehicle also features the Xmart OS 4.0 in-car intelligent system, supporting the Full Scene Voice 2.0 system, which offers advantages such as ultra-fast dialogue, full-vehicle all-time human-machine conversation, four-sound zone recognition, and network-free conversation.

The Xiaopeng G6 also has applications like Meditation Space, Sleep Space, and Xiaopeng Lab, and entertainment apps like Changba, Quanmian K-Song, NetEase Cloud Music, and iQIYI can be downloaded through the app store.

The new vehicle is equipped with Cloud Sensation Wraparound Seats, designed according to ergonomics to better fit the human body's ergonomic curve. The seats also use skin-friendly fabric with a delicate touch, and the seat filling is very soft, providing ideal support for the buttocks and ribs. However, whether the white fabric can be dirt-resistant is indeed a concern.

In terms of performance and handling, the Xiaopeng G6 offers both single-motor two-wheel drive and dual-motor four-wheel drive versions. The dual-motor version is equipped with an 800V XPower electric drive system, with a total motor power of 358kW and a total torque of 660N·m, achieving a 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 3.9 seconds. The Xiaopeng G6 adopts front and rear integrated aluminum die-casting and CIB (Cell to Body) battery body integration technology. The biggest benefit of these designs is that they can enhance the body rigidity while also making the body more lightweight. The new vehicle also features the X-HP3.0 thermal management system and an independent heat pump air conditioning system, comprehensively improving energy consumption issues and enhancing battery thermal safety.The Xiaopeng G6 is built on a full-range 800V high-voltage silicon carbide (SiC) platform and features 3C fast-charging cells, offering a maximum range of up to 755km. With the new vehicle, a 5-minute charge at a Xiaopeng S4 supercharging station can increase the range by 300km, and even when using third-party charging piles, the charging efficiency is higher than that of competing models. The test drive event also included a charging comparison demonstration, where the Xiaopeng G6 achieved an 85km range increase in 5 minutes, significantly outperforming its competitors.

The editor tested the dual-motor all-wheel-drive version of the vehicle, and naturally, there is no need to worry about performance. Acceleration is simple and direct, with no hesitation, and stepping hard on the accelerator pedal gives an unstoppable momentum. The only concern might be safety and traffic violations, as the rapid acceleration could easily lead to speeding. With such speed, it's also important to have strong braking capabilities. The official 100-0km/h braking distance for the Xiaopeng G6 is 33.4 meters, which is quite impressive.

The Xiaopeng G6 offers various driving modes, including standard, comfort, sport, off-road, and launch, with three levels of regenerative braking and a one-pedal mode. There is a noticeable difference in power response between the modes, and standard and comfort modes are sufficient for everyday driving. Additionally, the Xiaopeng G6 allows for personalized settings for steering and braking force. The advantages and disadvantages of the one-pedal mode are well-known; while it effectively recovers kinetic energy, the noticeable drag can indeed affect the riding experience. The choice ultimately depends on personal preference.

In terms of suspension, the Xiaopeng G6 features a front double-wishbone and rear five-link independent suspension combination, equipped with front and rear transverse stabilizer bars. It has been professionally tuned in collaboration with a top German team, ensuring sufficient stability and comfort. The new vehicle also employs several electronic technologies to enhance handling stability, including the d-TCS distributed traction control system and VDC 2.0 vehicle dynamic control system.

The intelligent driving functions can almost achieve "zero intervention."

The editor was most interested in the advanced intelligent driving system during this test drive, which is an essential step towards future mobility. The XNGP intelligent assistant driving system equipped on the Xiaopeng G6 mainly includes features such as urban NGP, highway NGP, LCC enhanced lane centering assistance, and SR driving environment simulation display.We first experienced the high-speed NGP function. Upon entering the highway, the NGP logo can be seen. After pressing the gear shift lever twice, the icon turns blue, indicating that the function is activated. The vehicle speed can be set using the scroll wheel on the left side of the steering wheel. This feature is currently available on domestic highways and some expressways covered by high-precision maps.

From the actual experience, after activating the NGP function, the Xiaopeng G6 can achieve intelligent navigation-assisted driving from point A to point B, including autonomously completing on and off ramps, automatic overtaking, and adjusting speed limits. Personally, I feel that this feature is very practical. It can greatly reduce the fatigue of highway driving, and occasionally, you don't have to worry about safety issues even if you get distracted. Of course, for safety reasons, the system will prompt if both hands are off the steering wheel for an extended period.

Urban NGP is undoubtedly the main event in the intelligent driving segment, and its difficulty far exceeds that of highway NGP. Xiaopeng has already opened urban NGP testing in Guangzhou and will gradually open it in other cities. Urban NGP can also achieve intelligent navigation-assisted driving from point A to point B based on navigation. However, due to the complexity of urban road conditions and the presence of many traffic participants such as pedestrians and electric vehicles, it is indeed a considerable challenge.

When the urban NGP function is activated, the vehicle can perform lane-keeping cruise following, navigation lane changes, overtaking lane changes, merging into/exiting roads, and detouring around stationary vehicles or obstacles. Overall, the driving strategy of the Xiaopeng G6 is relatively conservative, and lane changes are made only after observing a significant margin of safety. Of course, this is understandable, as safety is the most important factor.

When passing through signal-controlled intersections, the Xiaopeng G6 will also stop and proceed according to the traffic light information. Additionally, the test route included a congested section, and the Xiaopeng G6's following performance during this part was very satisfactory to me. Firstly, the following distance was moderate. If a car from another lane tries to merge in, the Xiaopeng G6 will consciously increase the following distance. What pleased me even more was that during this congested section, the G6's acceleration and braking were relatively gentle, without the abruptness of sudden stops and starts.From the experience of this urban NGP trial, the overall performance of the Xiaopeng G6 is quite impressive. If one is bold enough, it is almost possible to achieve "zero intervention" throughout the entire journey. Of course, due to its safety-first logic, there are moments when it may seem a bit cautious. It is also important to remind everyone that the NGP is still only an auxiliary function; it is not true full self-driving. It is recommended to maintain attention throughout the journey and take over the vehicle in a timely manner if any situation arises.

In conclusion, looking forward to the future, I believe that true unmanned driving is destined to become a reality, and future travel will be more relaxed and convenient. Returning to the present, as the "new benchmark of Chinese intelligent driving," the Xiaopeng G6 can already provide an experience close to unmanned driving, which undoubtedly strengthens our belief in the eventual realization of unmanned driving. The Xiaopeng G6 will be officially launched soon, and if it is priced reasonably, I believe the new vehicle can help boost sales for Xiaopeng Motors.