
Photo: VCG
Tesla wannabe Xpeng has announced its first vehicle recall since it went public in the U.S. in August last year, casting a shadow over a growing sales momentum that the Chinese electric carmaker has maintained for a year.
Guangzhou-based Xpeng is recalling 13,399 G3 electric sport utility vehicles manufactured between Mar. 29, 2019 and Sep. 27, 2020 over a potential inverter problem that may cause cars to lose power while running, according to a notice released on Friday by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation.
The company will replace the faulty inverters free of charge to eliminate safety risks, according to the notice.
The G3 is the first car model Xpeng is selling outside of its home China market. In December last year, G3s started to be delivered to customers in 28 Norwegian cities and towns, some located above the Arctic Circle.
The recall comes as Xpeng explores ways to raise money for expansion and new technology development. In January, the 6-year-old company got a credit line of 12.8 billion yuan ($1.98 billion) from five major Chinese financial institutions to support its efforts to strengthen its capabilities in manufacturing, sales, services and operations.
In 2020, Xpeng delivered a total of 27,041 vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 112%, according to the company.
Contact reporter Ding Yi (yiding@caixin.com)
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