Xpeng completed trial production of its flagship G9L SUV on October 7 at Magna's contract manufacturing plant in Graz, Austria, making it the fourth model the Chinese EV maker assembles in Europe.

Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng confirmed the milestone on October 8 on social media platform X, saying the G9L had further expanded Xpeng's local production lineup in Europe. The company first announced the trial build on Weibo on Saturday.

The G9L gets its global premiere in Paris on October 12. Xpeng said the model will soon enter 64 countries and regions worldwide.

What happens between Graz and Paris?

The European pre-production vehicle will travel 1,324 kilometers from Graz to Paris, He said. The drive is a validation run, not a stunt: Xpeng wants to test the SUV's safety, charging and driving performance under real-world conditions before the Paris reveal.

How deep does European localization go?

Not very deep yet. The milestone remains at the trial production stage, and the announcements left key production questions open:

• No start date for G9L mass production or deliveries in Europe
• No confirmation of which powertrain variants — BEV, EREV or both — will be built locally

Xpeng began European local production in September 2025 with the G6 and G9 SUVs, using Magna's existing facilities in Graz. The project relies on Magna's contract manufacturing subsidiary, Magna Steyr, rather than a plant Xpeng built or owns.

The G9L follows another Graz build: in January, Xpeng announced that the 2026 P7+ sedan had completed trial production at the same plant. That gives Xpeng a four-model European assembly slate — G6, G9, P7+ and now G9L — all running through a single tier-one contractor's capacity.

Where does the G9L sit in the lineup?

Xpeng launched the G9L in China on September 17 as a 5-seat flagship SUV. It joins the 6-seat GX in the company's dual-flagship strategy.

In China, buyers can choose between battery electric and extended-range electric versions, covering different needs for charging and refueling. It is unclear whether Graz will build both variants.

The company is also pushing the model into right-hand-drive markets. On September 11, Xpeng said the first mass-produced right-hand-drive G9L units had rolled off the line at its Guangzhou plant and were being prepared for shipment to Australia.

What to watch next

The October 12 Paris premiere is the near-term marker. After that, watch for a confirmed start of G9L mass production and European deliveries, and for clarity on which powertrains Magna Steyr will actually assemble in Graz. Capacity allocation at the shared Graz line — now carrying four Xpeng models — will show how serious the localization program is beyond trial builds.