CHINESE EV maker Xpeng has become the latest OEM to support Australia’s ‘right to repair’ legislation that provides access by independent repairers to vehicle service and repair information.

Xpeng Motors Australia and New Zealand (Xpeng ANZ) said it is working with the Australian Automotive Service and Repair Authority (AASRA) to support Australia’s Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme (MVIS) – dubbed ‘right to repair’ – which was introduced in 2022 as the nation’s first right-to-repair legislation.

Xpeng said it reinforces its “commitment to ensuring vehicle owners can choose where they have their vehicles serviced, while helping independent workshops gain access to the technical information required to repair and maintain modern vehicles”.

Supporter of the ‘right to repair’ platform, Dr Andrew Leigh MP, this week said it was “great to see Xpeng coming out as one of the first car manufacturers backing Australia’s right-to-repair framework”.

“Competition works best when owners can choose who fixes their vehicle,” he said.

Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP

Dr Leigh is assistant minister for productivity, competition, charities and treasury, and the federal member for Fenner in the ACT. 

He has been working with the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association, the Australian Automotive Dealer Association, and other industry bodies to launch and support the ‘right to repair’ legislation.

Xpeng said Australia’s ‘right to repair’ legislation was introduced to create a level playing field between vehicle manufacturers and independent repairers by requiring manufacturers to share eligible service and repair information. 

“The scheme has been widely supported by the automotive aftermarket industry which argues it promotes competition and provides motorists with greater choice,” it said.

Xpeng said it was undertaking technical onboarding with AASRA, with the process expected to be completed in the coming months.  “Once finalised, authorised and independent repair networks will be able to access eligible Xpeng service and repair information in accordance with MVIS requirements,” the statement said.

“The announcement is particularly significant given the rapid growth of Chinese automotive brands in Australia. 

“As new entrants continue to expand their market presence, industry stakeholders have been keen to ensure all manufacturers comply with Australia’s ‘right to repair’ obligations.”

Xpeng ANZ national service development manager Brenton Dalton said that supporting the scheme aligned with the company’s customer-focused approach.

“Supporting the ‘right-to-repair’ is the right thing to do,” he said.

“Customers should have the freedom to choose where they service their vehicle, and we support initiatives that improve access to repair information.”

He said Xpeng’s goal is to support customer choice while continuing to earn customer preference through the quality and convenience of its authorised service network.

“Our role is to support customer choice while earning preference through the quality, transparency and convenience of the authorised Xpeng service experience,” he added.

Xpeng ANZ said it would continue working with AASRA and the wider automotive industry to ensure eligible service and repair information is made available in accordance with MVIS requirements.

The announcement has been welcomed as another positive step for Australia’s ‘right-to-repair’ framework, which continues to expand as more vehicle manufacturers join the scheme and provide independent workshops with access to critical repair information.