After debuting in the UK market with 36 vehicle sales in March, the Chinese carmaker XPeng sold 9 vehicles in April, data published on Tuesday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed.
The Guangzhou-based company announced the expansion to the UK in February and kicked off sales with its distributor partner International Motors (IML). XPeng plans to have “20 to 25 stores” in the market by year end.
The Chinese EV maker entered the UK with its first-generation G6 SUV. The brand’s first right-hand model is available in two variants: starting at £39,990 ($53,200) for the Standard Range variant and £44,990 ($59,800) for the Long Range variant.
Last month, XPeng UK launched its first Scottish dealership — after opening in Nottingham and Southampton, the brand is now also located in East Kilbride.
Although the company has unveiled refreshed versions of its G6 and G9 SUVs in China, it has not yet announced when these models will be available in overseas markets.
Competitors
In April, the Kia Sportage was the island’s top-selling model, with over 3,500 registrations across its hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants. Volkswagen maintained its lead in the UK market, delivering nearly 10,500 vehicles and securing an 8.7% share.
MG, the British-based brand controlled by China’s SAIC Motor, sold 3,789 vehicles in its home country. The company still sells petrol vehicles, although most of its lineup includes hybrid and fully electric models.
Considering new energy vehicle (NEV) brands, BYD’s sales surged 654% year over year to more than 2,500 units. Meanwhile, Tesla’s registrations fell sharply by 62% to 512 units, following a broad decline seen across Europe.
Geely-backed Polestar registered 859 vehicles in April, an 82% increase from the previous year, while Leapmotor — which announced its entry in the UK in March — sold 108 vehicles.
EV Adoption
Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles continue to dominate the UK market, maintaining a market share above 50%.
However, fully electric vehicle sales rose 53.5% year over year to 24,558 units in a total of 120,331. One out of five vehicles sold in the UK were fully electric — representing a 20.4% market share.
Hybrid models, including plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), captured a 25.5% share of the market.
April Results
XPeng delivered 105 units in the Netherlands market last month, a jump of 72.1% from a year earlier. In Germany, it set a new sales record since it expanded to the market a year ago — with 207 vehicles registered. In Sweden, sales rose 63% with 98 units sold.
The company launched in Poland in March and plans to enter Italy soon (according to VP Brian Gu). It aims to double its presence to 60 markets by the end of this year.
The carmaker delivered over 35,000 vehicles in April globally, soaring 273% year over year, and surpassing the 30,000 unit mark for the sixth consecutive month.
