Zeekr's three current models target niche segments, while three new models to be launched this year and next will target the mass market.
(Image credit: CnEVPost)
Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, is aiming for sales in 2025 to be nearly 10 times what they were in 2022, with more mass-market-targeted models coming in the next two years.
Zeekr plans to achieve an annual sales target of 650,000 by 2025, its CEO Andy An said in a release after Geely announced its first-half financial results.
Geely left its 2023 sales target unchanged at 1.65 million units, including 140,000 for Zeekr, the automaker said.
Zeekr delivered 71,941 vehicles in 2022, and if it is to meet its 2025 targets, it would mean that it would have to see a sales growth rate of more than 100 percent in each of the next two years.
To achieve these goals, Zeekr will increase its efforts to introduce models that meet the needs of the mass market.
Zeekr's first model is the Zeekr 001 shooting brake, the second is the Zeekr 001 MPV, and the third is the Zeekr X city SUV, all of which are niche models in the Chinese market.
Zeekr will launch two new models every year to cater to different market segments, An said.
The company will launch a new sedan by the end of the year and two new SUVs next year, according to An.
The three models Zeekr has already launched are products targeting niche segments, while the next three new models will cover mainstream segments, so sales will scale up, he said.
An emphasized that Zeekr will focus on the battery electric vehicle (BEV) segment and has no plans to launch hybrid models at this time.
In the past year, some EV makers that originally offered only BEVs have launched hybrid models to ease the pressure on sales growth.
An also mentioned that Zeekr will continue to ramp up its efforts in international markets, expanding its presence to six overseas countries next year and eight by 2025.
Zeekr unveiled its European strategy on April 18, the first day of the Shanghai auto show, and announced on June 27 that it had begun pre-sales in Europe of the Zeekr 001 and the Zeekr X. Both models will be available first in Sweden and the Netherlands, with first deliveries expected to begin within the year.
On July 10, Zeekr announced that it had signed an agreement with Israeli distributor Union Group, with plans to begin offering the Zeekr 001 and Zeekr X in Israel later this year.
On August 7, the company announced a partnership with Kazakhstan car dealer Orbis Auto, which plans to launch Zeekr's EV offerings in the country in the fourth quarter.
Zeekr will initially offer the Zeekr 001 and the Zeekr X in Kazakhstan, where they will be available for pre-sale in September and delivered to customers in November.
Earlier today, Zeekr announced that it will hold a "Zeekr Evolution Day" on September 1, but didn't provide any further details.
Zeekr announced on August 10 that it would launch the Zeekr 001 FR electric supercar, priced at more than 1 million yuan ($140,000). The model may be officially launched at the event.
($1 = RMB 7.2976)
