The first production vehicles of the Zeekr X rolled off the production line today and will be shipped to stores in various cities, with first deliveries expected to begin in the middle of this month.
(Image credit: Zeekr)
Zeekr, Geely's premium electric vehicle (EV) brand, saw the first production vehicles of its third model, the Zeekr X, roll off the production line as deliveries approach.
The first production vehicles of the Zeekr X rolled off the production line today and will be shipped to stores in various cities, with first deliveries expected to begin in the middle of this month, Zeekr said.
On April 12, Zeekr launched the Zeekr X, a model it hopes will become the benchmark for luxury compact cars.
The Zeekr X comes in three versions, with one starting at RMB 189,800 ($26,670) and the other two at RMB 209,800.
The Zeekr X has been available for pre-order since its launch, and the model aims to deliver 40,000 units this year.
Zeekr was officially launched as a separate company in March 2021, and models currently on sale include the Zeekr 001 hatchback and the Zeekr 009 MPV, both of which are built at the company's plant in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.
The Zeekr X is not built in Ningbo, but at a Geely plant in Chengdu, Sichuan province, which CnEVPost visited in April and saw the highly automated production line.
(Image credit: CnEVPost)
The plant that produces the Zeekr X incorporates advanced manufacturing technologies including 5G, AI, and industrial big data to drive product development with a digital twin, Zeekr said in a press release today.
The factory's smart manufacturing system has a rigorous, comprehensive, and high standard of quality testing to ensure the quality of the Zeekr X, the company said.
As the delivery of the Zeekr X enters its countdown phase, Zeekr's channel touchpoints are in full swing, it said.
(Image credit: CnEVPost)
As of May 31, Zeekr's direct stores are opening at an average rate of one store every two days and now cover 73 cities, including 304 stores, the company said.
Zeekr delivered 8,678 vehicles in May, up 100.42 percent from 4,330 vehicles in the same month last year and up 7.12 percent from 8,101 vehicles in April.
This is the fourth sequential increase in monthly deliveries for Zeekr, after a big drop in deliveries in January due to the shutdown of the Ningbo plant for upgrades.
On May 26, a Chinese netizen shared that he drove his Zeekr 001 passing through a high altitude area until the battery was completed exhausted without any additional charging, which lasted 11 hours.
In the January-May period, Zeekr delivered 32,013 vehicles, up 117.66 percent from a year earlier. The company is targeting about 140,000 deliveries this year.
Zeekr, Geely's premium electric vehicle (EV) brand, delivered 8,678 vehicles in May, up 100.42 percent from 4,330 in the same month last year and up 7.12 percent from 8,101 in April, according to data released today.
This is Zeekr's fourth sequential increase in monthly deliveries, after a big drop in deliveries in January due to a plant shutdown for upgrades.
In the January-May period, Zeekr delivered 32,013 vehicles, up 117.66 percent from 14,708 units in the same period last year, and the company is targeting to double its full-year deliveries this year to about 140,000 units compared to 2022.
By the end of May, Zeekr's cumulative deliveries since its inception stood at 109,961 vehicles, data monitored by CnEVPost showed.
Zeekr is currently delivering the Zeekr 001 shooting brake as well as the Zeekr 09 MPV, for which the company does not release breakout figures.
The average order amount for the Zeekr 001 is RMB 336,000 ($47,290) and RMB 527,000 for the Zeekr 009, it said.
The Zeekr 001 is currently offered in four versions with starting prices of RMB 300,000, RMB 300,000, RMB 349,000 and RMB 386,000, respectively. The Zeekr 009 is currently offered in two versions with starting prices of RMB 499,000 and RMB 588,000, respectively.
Zeekr was officially established as an independent company in March 2021, and its first model, the Zeekr 001, was launched on April 15, 2021, with deliveries beginning in October 2021.
On November 1, 2022, Zeekr's second model, the Zeekr 009 MPV, was launched, and its deliveries began on January 15.
On April 12, Zeekr launched its third model, the Zeekr X, which it hopes will become the benchmark for luxury compact cars.
The Zeekr X comes in three versions, one starting at RMB 189,800 and the other two at RMB 209,800.
The Zeekr X is taking reservations and deliveries will begin in June, with the model aiming to deliver 40,000 units this year.
With Toyota's reluctance to embrace the EV revolution, Chinese premium EV brands, like Zeekr, are eyeing the luxury MPV space as a chance to charge big money.
This review is done by ChinaDriven, which creates content about Chinese EVs on YouTubeTwitter.
Zeekr, Geely's premium EV brand, has introduced a luxurious MPV called the Zeekr 009. But why would a Chinese premium EV brand make an expensive people mover?
MPVs in the West have largely died out from their hay day in the 90s. Nowadays referred to as ”Soccer Mum Vans,” they don't have the swankiest of images. In China, there is a smattering of low-end MPVs for sale but most of the action in this segment happens at the top-end.
MPVs are mostly statement vehicles, a sign of wealth and success; they're chauffeur-driven rides of the wealthy. My experience living in China for the past decade, the absolute epitome was the imported Toyota Alphard.
With Toyota's reluctance to embrace the EV revolution, Chinese premium EV brands, like Zeekr, are eyeing the luxury MPV space as a chance to charge big money and show off their tech and quality nouse.
Exterior
The large grille, a mainstay of the luxury MPV space, is perhaps a necessary evil. Behind it 154 programmable dot-matrix LEDs dubbed “The Spring of Light.” Distinct square LED daylight running lights, a break from the EV norm of LED Light bars.
It's a big square front end, with deliberate and unapologetic styling. It's a brutal-looking thing. But there's something quite cool about that, especially in all-black.
The side profile is long, square, and functional. Darkened pillars give the roof the illusion of floating, with some choice of chrome accents down the side, including the door handles.
Thankfully the door handles are normal door handles; Unlike so many EVs that try to create new intricate ways of opening a door, confusing every passenger you have.
The whole rear is cleaved in half by its chrome belt line. A huge rear windscreen gives gobs of rearward visibility. Something you'll need in this 5.2-meter long MPV. The rear end carries over the styling cues from the Zeekr 001 with its fin design in its rear LED light bar. The rear-end styling isn't as abrasive as the front-end and offers a clean look.
Interior
The interior of the Zeekr 009 boasts premium materials that solidify its status as a top-notch vehicle. From the abundance of Nappa leather, micro suede, and metal touch points, to the borrowed styling cues from the Zeekr 001, such as the steering wheel and gear selector, this vehicle exudes class.
The ambient lighting, which primarily resides in the rear, is a deliberate styling choice rather than an ambitious soft under-glow.
All seats are comfortable, with multiple options for heat, ventilation, massage, and adjustment. However, it's the second row that truly shines. As a luxury MPV, the second-row seats are essential, and the Zeekr 009 delivers plenty of room and adjustment options.
In fact, the layout of the three rows is incredibly well thought out, with even the third row providing ample space while still allowing for a trunk space of 37 liters with the seats up and a cavernous 2979 liters with the third row down.
Entertainment in the rear is delivered through a roof-mounted 15.6 LCD screen controlled by a remote. While it may seem archaic, it makes sense given the amount of legroom in the second row.
The first and second-row seats also boast headrest speakers, bringing the total speaker count up to 20 for the super-powerful Yamaha system.
The second row is truly the place to be with its HDMI connection for screen mirroring, roof-mounted camera for conference calling, pull-out solid metal tables, and built-in 60W fast charging for each seat.
Overall, the Zeekr 009's interior is classy, comfortable, and functional, with a particular focus on the second row to deliver a luxury MPV experience
Battery, Range, Charging
The Zeekr 009 is available in two trims: the WE Edition and ME Edition.
The Zeekr 009 is positioned as a premium vehicle, but its pricing is surprisingly reasonable compared to the Toyota Alphard in China, which commands a price of between $121,000-134,000.
One of the major selling points of the Zeekr 009 is that it is the world's first vehicle to be equipped with CATL's Qilin battery, which offers a 13% increase in power compared to a pack of the same size filled with Tesla's 4680 cells. CATL Qilin is an advancement in the cell to pack packaging rather than cell chemistry. But it offers impressive gains.
DC fast charging is of course available and quoted at 10-80% in 28mins.
Tech
Upfront the driver is greeted with a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.4-inch central LCD touchscreen which together with the rear screen is powered by a Snapdragon 8155 CPU.
The central infotainment screen is snappy and well laid out. However, there is no English UI, but you can't blame Zeekr for that, especially when it's highly unlikely the 009 will be released in Europe.
There's a 5G connection, plenty of USB-C connections, and a wireless phone charger. All pretty standard tech on premium and even mid-level EVs in China nowadays. I do wish there was a HUD, but it's not a dealbreaker. A voice assistant is also included, but again in China, this is a somewhat standard affair.
In the second row, you'll find Zeekr's smart bar, a 3.4-inch circular LCD panel on the door that controls the third zone A/C, as well as capacitive touch buttons for the rear windows and panoramic roof shade.
ADAS
Zeekr's Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) is powered by the Mobileye Supervision full-stack ADAS solution. While they have promised a more advanced ADAS suite called the Zeekr Autonomous Driving (ZAD) that can be added for a one-time fee, it is not yet available. The ZAD promises to provide exceptional ADAS capabilities for complex driving scenarios.
Currently, the Zeekr 009 comes standard with a level 2 ADAS system that includes Lane Keep Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), as well as Zeekr's Highway Autopilot (ZNP).
The ADAS sensor array includes seven 8MP cameras, twelve ultrasonic radars, one milliwave radar, and four 2MP cameras for the 360-degree camera system.
The Mobileye Supervision solution is vision-based, which means that the Zeekr 009 does not have LiDAR. All the data collected by the sensors is processed by dual Mobileye EQ5H chips that deliver 48 TOPs.
Driving & Performance
For an MPV, the Zeekr 009 has a ridiculously powerful dual-motor drivetrain. Delivering 400kW (544hp) of power and 686Nm (506ft-lbs) of torque to the pavement; it smashes 0-100kph in 4.5s.
While it's unclear why an MPV needs this level of power, it certainly adds some fun to the driving. The Zeekr 009 can come to a stop from 100kph in 36.9m, which is impressive, but the sheer mass of the vehicle is felt during heavy braking.
Driving dynamics are nothing to write home about, as expected, but it delivers a comfortable ride thanks to its air suspension and CDC. While this sort of vehicle is not ideal for high-speed cornering, the tires do a commendable job, but no matter what physics cannot be overcome. This is very much a comfortable point-and-squirt kind of speed. Slow in, fast out.
Ultimately, the Zeekr 009 is designed to deliver comfort to the person in the back, most likely the "Big Boss." The rear seats are feature-packed, relaxing, and remarkably comfortable, making them perfect for long chauffeured journeys.
Conclusion
Would I buy a Zeekr 009? I'm not wealthy or important enough to warrant a luxury chauffeured ride, but if I were, I'd take the Zeekr 009 over the Toyota Alphard any day of the week.
However, the decision isn't as simple as that. In my city, the Alphard still reigns supreme as the go-to MPV that screams "I've made it." Even though the Zeekr 009 is a superior product with a lower price point, those with seemingly endless pools of money aren't price sensitive.
But in larger cities where getting a license plate for an internal combustion engine is expensive and difficult, the Zeekr 009 may be a popular seller.
In my city, I think I'd still be a maverick for choosing it over the Toyota Alphard. But I'd be right, they'd be wrong. And I'd have $40,000-50,000 in my back pocket, a better vehicle and a big smug smile on my face.
Zeekr 001 is the first production vehicle to be powered by CATL Qilin batteries. CATL Qilin battery is currently the mass-produced power battery with the highest energy density in the market.
Deliveries of the Zeekr 009 MPV with CATL Qilin Battery had begun on April 17.
(Image credit: Zeekr)
Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle (EV) brand of Geely, started the delivery of the Zeekr 001 shooting brake model with CATL Qilin Battery, after starting the delivery of the Zeekr 009 MPV with the battery pack a month ago.
Deliveries of the WE version of the Zeekr 001 with the optional 140 kWh Qilin Battery began today, and the 1,032 km CLTC range makes the model the longest production EV in the world, Zeekr said in a press release.
The Zeekr 001's range addresses the mileage anxiety that plagues users and will allow them to enjoy a hassle-free travel experience, Zeekr said.
Zeekr was officially launched as an independent company in March 2021, with its first model, the Zeekr 001, launched on April 15, 2021, and deliveries beginning in October 2021.
On November 1, 2022, Zeekr's second model, the Zeekr 009 MPV, was launched, and its deliveries began on January 15.
On April 12 of this year, Zeekr launched its third model, the Zeekr X, which it hopes will become the benchmark for luxury compact cars.
CATL launched the Qilin Battery, or CTP (cell to pack) 3.0 battery, on June 23rd last year, claiming that its energy density can reach 255Wh/kg and can support the vehicle to achieve a range of 1,000 km.
On August 27 last year, Zeekr and CATL announced that the Zeekr 009 will be the world's first vehicle to be equipped with the Qilin Battery, while the Zeekr 001 will use the ultra-long range version of the Qilin Battery and will be the world's first production vehicle to be equipped with the 1,000 km range Qilin Battery.
On January 1, Zeekr launched the 2023 Zeekr 001, offering four base versions, including two WE versions, one ME version and one YOU version.
Zeekr offers a 140-kWh Qilin Battery option for the single-motor WE version with a 100-kWh battery pack, allowing the CLTC range to reach 1,032 km.
However, the Qilin Battery option is limited to only 1,000 units, and consumers will have to pay an additional RMB 103,000 ($14,790), meaning the Zeekr 001 with a range of more than 1,000 km will start at RMB 403,000.
Zeekr delivered 8,101 vehicles in April, up 279.08 percent from 2,137 in the same month last year and up 21.58 percent from 6,663 in March, according to data released earlier this month.
