XPENG G6 Black – shock therapy

IF you think electric cars are all about sensible family transport, the XPENG G6 Performance AWD Black Edition has arrived to give that theory the bum’s rush.

This is a large, sleek, electric SUV from Chinese manufacturer XPENG, but beneath its brooding exterior lurks a pair of electric motors producing a hefty 480bhp and 660Nm of torque. Put foot to the floor and 0-62mph takes a mere 4.1 seconds.

That’s rapid, Porsche 911 territory in fact, and a bit hilarious when you think that the G6 is a practical five-seat family SUV.

And the Black Edition gives it some extra menace with its gloss-black 20-inch alloy wheels, black brake callipers and smoked-grey XPENG badging while the coupe-SUV silhouette adds some real style.

But there’s more to the latest G6 than a lick of black paint. XPENG says it has made more than 20,000 improvements over the previous car, including changes to the suspension, steering, chassis, powertrain and cabin refinement.

The results are impressive. The G6 feels beautifully composed at motorway speeds, with impressive refinement and very little wind or road noise.

There’s loads of room inside as well, making it a genuinely useful family car rather than a fashion statement with a boot.

As for tech, the minimalist dashboard is dominated by a15.6-inch touchscreen, while the cabin feels considerably more expensive than you might expect from a new to the UK market Chinese brand.

You get Nappa leather upholstery all round and the front seats can be heated, ventilated and perform a massage, while rear passengers also get plenty of legroom, including in the centre rear position courtesy of plenty of width and a flat floor.

XPENG’s real party trick, though, concerns the charging, because the G6 uses an 800-volt electrical architecture and can accept charging at up to 451kW. In an ideal world you’re looking at the potential for a 10-80 per cent boost in just 12 minutes.

And that could transform the experience of long-distance EV motoring – although there is a catch. Chargers capable of delivering anything close to 451kW remain relatively uncommon, so don’t expect every motorway service station to have one.

Meanwhile, the 80.8kWh battery offers a claimed 316-mile WLTP range, which is strong for a car this quick, though real-world range will inevitably depend on weather, speed and driving style.

That said, the G6 is convincing enough to make long journeys considerably less stressful than they can be in some electric cars.

The anomaly is that, despite its seismic acceleration, the G6 isn’t really a driver’s car. It may be dazzlingly quick but it doesn’t particularly encourage you to attack corners.

At more than 2.2 tonnes, you can feel the weight when you start pushing on, while the ride can also be unsettled over potholes and broken surfaces.

Otherwise our only criticism concerns the way nearly every function is buried in the touchscreen and requires digging through menus when a conventional button would be quicker.

The G6 Performance Black Edition packs 480bhp, four-wheel drive, a 316-mile claimed range, rapid charging, a high-quality interior and an impressive level of standard equipment into one very tempting package.

It’s not cheap but there’s plenty of power, kit, technology and comfort for the cash – and the feeling that buyers no longer need stick with the familiar European and American badges to get a seriously impressive electric car.

Prices for the updated XPENG G6 start at £39,990 for the rear-wheel-drive Standard Range model, rising to £44,990 for the Long Range and the tested range-topping AWD Performance Black Edition commanding £49,990.