Xpeng Back in the Driver’s Seat in Australia

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After less than 2 years in operation, the chosen distributor of Xpeng vehicles in Australia, True EV, has gone into administration. Currently, only one Xpeng model is available — the G6. There is a lot of “he said, she said” in the media, and the matter is before the courts in October in what promises to be a “messy” legal dispute. So, I will tread carefully, but, basically, I think that the Chinese are learning that they need to be more careful when dealing with unknown actors in this space. “Direct factory control” may be the better option. BYD learnt this lesson from its dealings with EVDirect, and has since sought more reliable partners.

“XPeng Motors Australia Pty Ltd is now responsible for the importation, distribution, authorised dealer network, parts supply, servicing and customer support for the XPeng brand in Australia,” TrueEV said in a notice on its website. Those wishing to check out the timeline from the beginning, and over the past two years, can access it at that link as well — just after the company announcement.

“TRUEEV was appointed by XPENG to introduce the brand into Australia, established the local retail, service and aftersales network, launched the brand nationally and commenced customer deliveries in 2024. During early 2025 the parties’ commercial relationship deteriorated as they disagreed over the future distribution model. The matter is now before the Federal Court.”

Although the Australian conservative media have tried to make story indicate that Xpeng is failing, it is not. They also speak of a dysfunctional relationship between Xpeng and TrueEV. Rather than quitting the Australian market, Xpeng is massively increasing the presence of its car models, backed up by sales and service centres, recently unveiling a 5-year expansion plan in Melbourne.

Xpeng expects to launch five new models in the Aussie market before the end of the year. These will include the flagship 7-seat Xpeng X9 and the highly affordable Mona M03 sedan. One wealthy Gold Coast resident has even imported Xpeng’s flying car — it made the news, of course. Watch it here. Australian media have dubbed Xpeng as the Chinese Tesla. So far, Xpeng has sold more than 1 million cars globally.

Dr. Brian Gu explains that the company is not just bringing electric cars to Australia, but also the “full physical AI ecosystem.” Of course, the naysayers are having a field day, worrying about backup service and dubbing the quadcopter a “disaster waiting to happen.” At the moment, it cannot be legally flown in Australia. Expect to also see the Xpeng “Iron” robot. Chinese Tesla indeed.

And who is this Brian Gu? Well, Brian Gu (Brian) is currently the Honorary Vice Chairman and Co-President of Xiaopeng Motors. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Oregon, a Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry from the University of Washington School of Medicine, and a Master of Business Administration from Yale.

TrueEV is led by Jason Clarke. As group CEO, he brings more than 25 years of experience across financial services, technology, and strategic growth leadership in Australia.

Dr Gu promises to honour the incentives that TrueEV offered to early adopters (AU$5000 cashback), as well as supply spare parts to around 2,000 local dealers. It is a much-needed brand reset after multiple communication blackouts, closed showrooms, and unfulfilled promises. Warranties are also under discussion. However, the overall message from Xpeng is that they will make sure that their customers are “fully satisfied.”

Xpeng has announced that it is building “localized parts supply, logistics distribution and technical support systems to speed up after-sales response.” Owners will be pleased.

The cars themselves are doing well — we were impressed when an owner showed up at our coffee morning and demonstrated his vehicle’s technological prowess. Despite the fact that Xpeng does not report its sales numbers in the country, it is estimated that over 2,000 Xpeng G6 have been delivered to Australian drivers.

I reached out to that owner and here is his response: “I’m very pleased to see the factory take control of the Australian operations. I believe this necessary change will strengthen confidence in Xpeng and cement the brand’s future in Australia. The insurance companies also welcome the factory presence and commitment to improving the parts supply and distribution chains. My experience with TrueEV was a little ‘hit and miss’, and I was concerned about future dealings with them.”

Over the next six months, Xpeng plans to set up three “flagship smart technology experience” and up to 50 sales outlets. CnEVPost elaborates on Xpeng’s “full physical AI ecosystem,” including Xpeng’s Kunpeng super electric system range extender. This will be brought to Australia. Xpeng explains:

“The XPENG Kunpeng Super Electric System is built on an 800V high-voltage silicon carbide platform, incorporating a 5C ultra-charging AI battery and a hybrid silicon carbide coaxial electric drive, offering industry-leading efficiency and reliability. It features an ultra-quiet range extender with noise levels as low as 1 dB, along with AI-driven power optimization that facilitates a seamless transition between pure electric and range-extended driving modes.

“The system allows for rapid charging, with 1 km of range added per second, reaching 80% in just 12 minutes. The new XPENG S5 liquid-cooled ultra-fast charging station can even deliver over 1 kilometer of range per second. Equipped with the AI Battery Doctor, each battery undergoes active monitoring to optimize battery health, achieving up to 30% longer lifespan. With a pure electric range of 430 km and a combined range exceeding 1,400 km, the Kunpeng Super Electric System positions XPENG as a leader in efficiency, convenience, and reliability for global users in the future.”

In 2027, Xpeng expects its FSD equivalent to arrive Down Under. The Turing AI Driving Assistance System is now called Next Generation Pilot (NGP). We may soon see the Iron robot in Xpeng centres, and the Land Aircraft Carrier in our skies. Xpeng plans to have the robots working in its stores in China next year and plans to produce over 1,000 per month.

They say all publicity is good publicity, and it looks like that saying has been borne out with the recent Australian Xpeng/TrueEV chaos. At least for Xpeng. Although the conservative anti-EV naysayers have been quick to denigrate Chinese EVs and increase the worrywarts’ concerns about these new companies not being in Australia in a few years, Xpeng has clapped back forcefully and been given a megaphone to declare its support for its products and its customers.

Not only that, but it also provided the opportunity to announce new eye-popping product launches in Australia. More and better products are coming. Despite the glitch, the future is bright and electric on Australia’s roads.