Upgraded specifications and lower prices are expected to keep the Zeekr 001 competitive amid fierce price competition, thus helping Zeekr achieve its goal of doubling sales this year.
(Image credit: Zeekr)
Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, has launched the refreshed Zeekr 001 shooting brake model, hoping that upgraded specifications and lower prices will keep one of its main sellers competitive amid fierce price competition.
Zeekr rolled out the 2024 Zeekr 001 at a launch event today in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, where it is headquartered, and the updated model comes standard with the 800 V electrical system, which has been one of the main selling points of the premium models that have been launched in the past few months, including the Zeekr 007.
Most of the EVs launched in the past few years have been built on the mainstream 400 V platform, and the higher voltage helps to deliver faster charging and lower energy consumption, albeit at higher component costs.
Zeekr continues to offer four versions of the updated Zeekr 001, including two WE Editions, both with a starting price of RMB 269,000 ($37,370). Another ME version starts at RMB 299,000 and a YOU version starts at RMB 329,000.
This pricing is lower than the Zeekr 001's price after discounts over the past few months.
The old Zeekr 001 was also offered in these four versions, with both WE versions starting at RMB 300,000 before discounts and the other two at RMB 349,000 and RMB 386,000 respectively.
On August 11, 2023, Zeekr announced a promotion for the Zeekr 001 that lowered the starting price to RMB 269,000 for the two entry-level versions, and RMB 319,000 and RMB 349,000 for the other two versions.
The promotion expired at the end of 2023, though Zeekr announced on January 15 that the incentive was extended with the same amount of discount.
The latest pricing means that the 2024 Zeekr 001 has the same starting price compared to the 2023 model's post-promotion price, but the other two higher-trim variants are both reduced by RMB 20,000.
Along with the price cuts, Zeekr has made extensive upgrades to the Zeekr 001's specifications, although the exterior design remains the same.
Of the two WE variants, one comes with a single motor, but the peak motor power has been upgraded from the previous 200 kW to 310 kW. The upgraded powertrain allows the vehicle to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, faster than the 6.9 seconds of the old model.
The other three versions are powered by dual motors, all with a combined peak power of 580 kW. The dual-motor WE version can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, while the other two versions are both 3.3 seconds.
The dual-motor WE version of the Zeekr 001 is powered by a 95-kWh capacity Shenxing Battery from CATL, with a CLTC range of 675 kilometers.
CATL launched the Shenxing Battery on August 16, 2023 based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, claiming a 400-km range on a 10-minute charge.
The 2024 Zeekr 001 supports 5C charging, which takes just 11.5 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent, adding 472 kilometers of range, Zeekr said at today's launch.
C refers to the charging multiplier of the battery, and 5C means that the battery can theoretically be fully charged in one-fifth of an hour.
The other three variants of the model are powered by the 100-kWh capacity Qilin Battery, based on lithium ternary chemistry, also from CATL.
The Qilin Battery is an innovation in battery construction unveiled by CATL on June 23, 2022, and is compatible with both LFP chemistry and lithium ternary chemistry.
With the same chemistry and the same pack size, the Qilin Battery offers a 13 percent increase in power compared to the 4680 battery, CATL said at the launch of the battery.
Of the three Qilin Battery-equipped versions, the single-motor Zeekr 001 has a CLTC range of 750 kilometers, while the other two dual-motor versions both have a CLTC range of 705 kilometers.
These three versions have a maximum charge multiplier of 4C and take 15 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent, Zeekr said.
The updated Zeekr 001 comes standard with a LiDAR that is placed on the roof, a component that helps enhance the capabilities of the assisted driving system.
It also comes standard with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip, which is the preferred cockpit chip for new high-end models released in the past few months.
Other hardware upgrades cover a variety of areas including air suspension, audio, seats, and satellite communications.
The updated Zeekr 001 continues to use Mobileye's assisted driving solutions.
Through joint R&D, Zeekr said the company and Mobileye's teams are aiming to expand coverage of high-level ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) functionality available in urban areas to more than 60 cities by the end of March, and to more than 90 percent of China's cities in the second quarter.
Zeekr's smart driving team will add 500 new people this year, bringing its size to more than 2,000, CEO Andy An said at today's launch.
Zeekr is accepting customer orders for the Zeekr 001 starting immediately, with deliveries set to begin on March 1.
Customers who order the Zeekr 001 by March 31 will receive free upgrades including premium exterior colors and wheels.
The Zeekr 001 is Zeekr's first model and was launched on April 17, 2021, with deliveries beginning in October 2021.
The shooting brake model has been Zeekr's main seller, with 76,246 units delivered in 2023, contributing 64 percent of the 118,685 units Zeekr delivered in the year.
Zeekr officially launched the Zeekr 007 on December 27 at a starting price of RMB 209,900, and the electric sedan is Zeekr's first model for the mainstream EV market. Other models, including the Zeekr 001, Zeekr 009, and Zeekr X, target traditional niche markets.
Volume deliveries of the Zeekr 007 began in January and the sedan delivered 5,853 units last month, surpassing the Zeekr 001's 5,272 units, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
Zeekr aims to deliver 230,000 vehicles in 2024, doubling from 2023, a company spokesperson told CnEVPost last month.
The updated Zeekr 001, with higher specs and lower prices, is expected to keep the model competitive in a prolonged price war and help Zeekr meet its sales targets.
($1 = RMB 7.1979)
