XPeng P7 Under Consideration for Australia: The Sleek Sedan That Could Take On the Model 3

Image credit: XPeng

One of the sleekest electric sedans out of China might be headed our way. XPeng has confirmed it is evaluating the new P7 for Australia, a sharply styled rear- or all-wheel-drive sedan that would slot in above the brand's fast-growing SUV range and take direct aim at the Tesla Model 3.

An example was shipped to Melbourne for XPeng's Australian relaunch, and vice president Dr Brian Gu told local media the P7 is under evaluation as part of a broader look at the brand's sedans. "We are looking at the market," Gu said, before adding the honest caveat that sedans are becoming a harder sell as buyers pile into SUVs, so a decision has not been made.

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Bigger than a Model 3, priced like a wildcard

At more than five metres long and close to two metres wide, the P7 is a considerably larger car than a Model 3, and bigger than even the MG IM5, with proportions closer to a BMW 5 Series. In China it is priced from about 203,800 to 301,800 yuan, or roughly AUD$43,100 to $63,900 on a straight conversion. Using XPeng's existing China-to-Australia pricing as a guide, the P7 could realistically land from about $62,000 to $92,000 before on-road costs here, across a choice of battery sizes and motor layouts.

Image credit: XPeng

That would put it head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3, the MG IM5, and the luxury-badged Mercedes-Benz CLA EV.

Battery, motors and range

The entry grade uses a 270kW/465Nm rear motor for a claimed 5.8-second 0 to 100km/h and a 74.9kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery good for 702km on the CLTC cycle. Step up to the 92.2kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt pack and CLTC range climbs to 820km, against 830km CLTC (or 750km WLTP) for a Model 3 Long Range RWD. The all-wheel-drive flagship claims 437kW/695Nm, a 3.7-second 0 to 100km/h and 753km CLTC. Adaptive air suspension and Brembo four-piston front calipers are standard across the range.

MORE: XPeng G6: price and specs in Australia

The CarSorted take

The interesting part is not the sedan, it is the speed. XPeng has committed to shrinking the gap between a China launch and an export launch to just a few months, where rivals such as BYD have typically taken around 18 months. If the P7 gets the nod, it could arrive here far fresher than we are used to from a Chinese import. Head of international development Alex Tang says stock will "be no problem" because every XPeng is now planned as a global, left- and right-hand-drive car from day one.

For Australian buyers the real question is the one Gu raised himself: does anyone still want a sedan? A five-metre electric liftback with 800km of claimed range is genuinely appealing, but it lands into a market that keeps voting for SUVs. If XPeng prices it sharply against the Model 3 rather than the Mercedes CLA, it has a shot. If it drifts north of $80,000, it is fighting badge snobbery it may not win yet. Either way, run it against the cars you are actually cross-shopping before you get swept up in the spec sheet.