Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Guangzhou-based XPeng became the latest automaker to target Tesla, as rivals ramp up efforts to attract its owners following a decline in the brand’s image in recent months.
Following ads mocking Elon Musk from Kia and new or expanded Tesla trade-in incentives from Polestar, Lucid and Rivian, XPeng on Tuesday launched a global social media campaign targeting the refreshed Model Y.
Called “Y Not” — a reference to Tesla’s Model Y — the campaign highlights three features: Apple CarPlay, self-parking, and what XPeng describes as “a luxury driving experience.”
“The XPeng G6 comes with effortless integration with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto,” the company claims in one of the posters shared.
In another image, the Chinese EV maker — which is preparing to unveil its first hybrid model ever — highlighted that the automatic parking assist, automatic lane change and door open warning come “as standard.”
Refreshed G6
XPeng unveiled last month updated versions of its G6 and G9 SUVs in China, both launching with lower starting prices than their first generation.
The G6 now starts at 176,800 yuan ($24,200), reflecting a 12% price reduction, while the G9 starts at 248,800 yuan ($34,000), a 6% drop. Seven minutes after the launch, the Guangzhou carmaker had secured over 5,000 orders for the new G6.
Lucid x Tesla
Lucid Motors last month offered up to $4,000 off select 2025 Lucid Air sedans for customers trading in a Tesla, as part of a quarter-end sales push. The discount includes $2,000 off for choosing an in-stock vehicle and an additional $2,000 for trading in a currently owned or leased vehicle. According to Lucid, customers can still qualify by showing proof of ownership, without being required to trade in the vehicle.
Polestar x Tesla
In February, Polestar announced a $5,000 discount for Tesla drivers leasing the new Polestar 3 crossover. Including an additional $15,000 in lease incentives, Tesla owners could access a total of $20,000 in discounts. Days later, Polestar’s U.S. Head of Sales, Jordan Hofmann, said the brand recorded “some of the highest order days” for the model.
Kia x Tesla
In early March, Kia ran a full-page advertisement in Finland’s largest newspaper that directly referenced Tesla CEO Elon Musk, ahead of the local launch of its fully electric EV4 model.
The campaign followed a separate social media post by Kia’s Norwegian unit showing an EV with a sticker that read, “I bought this after Elon went crazy.” The post, shared on Instagram in early March, was later deleted after going viral and prompting a response from Musk, who posted on X: “They really did that?”
Kia has previously run targeted incentive programs to lure Tesla owners, including a $1,500 bonus in the U.S. last year and a $9,000 discount on its flagship EV9 SUV. Musk responded to those initiatives in September, posting on X: “But here’s the rub, Tesla never has to bribe Kia drivers to buy a Tesla…”
