Raymond just covered XPENG’s launch in the Philippines earlier today, but we also have news from the past week of the company expanding significantly in Malaysia and planning the launch of the G9L in 64 markets around the world. We’d love to see XPENG launch in the United States, but the fact is there’s much more growth potential elsewhere and the EV transition is booming in a bunch of other places while it stalls in the USA. XPENG Setting Up Big Growth In Malasyia First of all, a few days ago, we got the following news: “XPENG Malaysia today announced a major expansion of its nationwide retail and aftersales footprint, confirming 10 new strategic 3S/4S showroom locations targeted for deployment across Malaysia by the end of 2026. This rapid network development reinforces XPENG’s long-term commitment to establishing a comprehensive, high-touch Smart EV ownership ecosystem for Malaysian customers.” We’ve heard it before with Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, and others — people want more than a sales location or an online ordering system before buying a new car; they want to make sure they can get service on the vehicle easily and efficiently when needed. That’s what the “3S/4S” thing is about. That means a “full 3S (Sales, Service & Spare Parts) or 4S (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, Body & Paint Services) facility.” That makes a big difference, and rolling out such centers in 10 new locations in Malaysia should significantly boost sales. “By embedding certified aftersales infrastructure, specialized diagnostic tools, and dedicated parts inventory directly into each site, XPENG ensures owners receive immediate, uncompromised long-term care from day one,” the company adds. “By embedding certified aftersales infrastructure, specialized diagnostic tools, and dedicated parts inventory directly into each site, XPENG ensures owners receive immediate, uncompromised long-term care from day one.” Sounds smart to me. XPENG G9L Global Launch XPENG’s new large, “next-gen” SUV, the G9L, is readying for a big global launch. It had its launch event a week ago for the Chinese auto market, but it will have a global launch on October 12 at the Paris Motor Show. (It will surely be in Malaysia before long.) The company shares some key details about the SUV: “The G9L is XPENG’s Next-Gen AI Flagship SUV, available in both BEV and REEV versions. With an overall length of 5,120 mm and a wheelbase of 3,100 mm, the G9L features a golden wheelbase-to-length ratio of 0.605, delivering better space and handling agility than its segment peers. As a premium model, it embodies XPENG’s latest innovations in physical AI, spanning smart driving and the intelligent cockpit, and offering flagship-level features and global standards. Specifically, powered by the XPENG VLA 2.0 model, the G9L enables fast cross-region generalization, delivering a smooth, safe, and steady performance to more global markets. Meanwhile, the G9L features the same Turing AI chip as XPENG’s humanoid robot IRON.” Sounds compelling. “The G9L meets the design standards of four major five-star safety ratings worldwide. It has completed 192 crash tests across four major protocols — Euro NCAP, ANCAP, C-NCAP, and CIASI — totaling more than 110 individual test items. Over a three-year period, it has also undergone global road testing across 26 countries and regions, with cumulative mileage surpassing 6.74 million kilometers. Its electric powertrain, engineered to global vehicle standards, delivers stability that stands up to extreme environments worldwide.” I imagine the G9L will be a global hit for XPENG. We’ll have to check back in on it after it hits the airwaves again at the Paris Motor Show, and if it does end up seeing high consumer demand in markets around the world.
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