XPeng's Australian distributor enters administration as court battle with brand heats up
TrueEV has had 197 vehicles frozen by a receiver and launched legal action against XPeng itself throwing the brand's local future into serious doubt.
Rob Leigh
XPeng's sole Australian distributor TrueEV is in serious trouble - with a receiver appointed to its vehicle stock and an active court battle underway against the Chinese automaker.
ASIC filings show insolvency firm Cor Cordis has taken control of 197 TrueEV vehicles spread across Melbourne, Brisbane, Wollongong and Fremantle. The appointment was made on March 19th 2026 and appears to have been triggered by a lender moving to recover stock used as loan security.
Separately, TrueEV has launched Federal Court action against XPeng's Australian and Chinese arms, with proceedings filed on March 3 and a hearing scheduled for March 30. Court documents don't detail the nature of the dispute.
TrueEV has clarified it has not entered full administration - the receiver's scope is limited to selling off those 197 older-model vehicles. The company says it continues to sell new cars.
Still, the situation raises real questions for existing owners. Multiple G6 buyers have reported waiting months for promised cashback payments, with some receiving no response at all.
TrueEV was appointed as XPeng's exclusive importer and retailer in May 2024, commencing deliveries in August that year. It confirmed more than 2,000 deliveries by December 2025 across 18 showroom locations.
The brand had ambitious plans for 2026 including an updated G6, the G9L large SUV and X9 people mover. None have received pricing or a confirmed on-sale date.
The legal stoush mirrors a broader pattern in Australian EV distribution. BYD recently took back direct control of its operations from third-party distributor EVDirect. Speculation has circulated for months that XPeng may seek to do the same - TrueEV CEO Jason Clarke acknowledged late last year the two parties were in dialogue about how they work together while noting a five-year contract with four years remaining.
Whether that transition happens cleanly, or through the courts, is now the key question.
