Zeekr said many of its future new models will be offered in both left-hand drive and right-hand drive versions.
Zeekr (NYSE: ZK) rolled out the updated Zeekr 009 MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) and its right-hand-drive version in Hong Kong, marking the first time it has held a major product launch outside of the Chinese mainland and underscoring its commitment to global expansion.
The premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of Geely Holding Group launched the updated Zeekr 009 in Hong Kong on Friday, saying that deliveries to customers in the Chinese mainland will begin on July 22, and deliveries of the right-hand-drive version in Hong Kong will begin in the fourth quarter.
The updated Zeekr 009 brings lower prices and better configurations to mainland Chinese customers, which the company's management said is aided by economies of scale as well as lower costs for key components.
Initially launched in the Chinese mainland on November 1, 2022, the Zeekr 009 is Zeekr's second model after the Zeekr 001, with deliveries beginning in February 2023.
On January 15 of this year, Zeekr launched the 2024 Zeekr 009 with a small increase in starting price and better features.
The previously available 2024 Zeekr 009 was only available in six-seat versions with starting prices of RMB 500,000 and RMB 588,000 respectively and was aimed at affluent families.
On April 19, Zeekr launched the four-seat Zeekr 009 Grand as an all-new model in addition to the regular Zeekr 009, with a starting price of RMB 789,000, targeting the high-end segment including business owners.
The updated Zeekr 009 launched today is available in 6-seater and 7-seater options, marking the first time that Zeekr has offered a 7-seater version of the model.
The MPV measures 5,217 mm in length, 2,024 mm in width and 1,812 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 3,205 mm.
Zeekr is offering the updated Zeekr 009 in a left-hand-drive version for customers in the Chinese mainland and a right-hand-drive version for the Hong Kong market, and said it will offer both left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive versions for future models.
The updated Zeekr 009 is available in the Chinese mainland in three variants with starting prices of RMB 439,000 ($60,390), RMB 459,000 and RMB 469,000, the first two of which are seven-seaters and the last is a six-seater.
That starting price is RMB 61,000, or 12.2 percent, lower than its predecessor.
The updated Zeekr 009 for the Chinese mainland has an upgraded voltage platform of 800 V from the regular 400 V. The higher voltage is expected to result in lower energy consumption and faster charging.
All three variants are powered by Li-ion ternary battery packs with a capacity of 108 kWh and CLTC ranges of 740 kilometers, 702 kilometers and 702 kilometers respectively.
Customers in the Chinese mainland can pay RMB 50,000 to upgrade the battery pack to 140 kWh for a CLTC range of up to 900 kilometers.
Previously available 2024 models of the Zeekr 009 have battery pack capacities of 116 kWh and 140 kWh, with CLTC ranges of 702 kilometers and 822 kilometers, respectively.
The entry-level variant of the updated Zeekr 009 is powered by a single motor with a peak motor power of 310 kW and peak torque of 440 Nm, which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.9 seconds.
The other two more expensive variants are powered by dual motors with a peak power of 580 kW and peak torque of 810 Nm and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.
The right-hand-drive version of the Zeekr 009 available in Hong Kong is based on the 400 V platform. It comes standard with dual electric motors and has a starting price of HK$755,000 ($96,660) after subsidies.
The Zeekr 009 for Hong Kong comes standard with a battery pack with a capacity of 116 kWh and a WLTP range of 582 kilometers.
The updated Zeekr 009 received more than 3,000 orders outside of the Chinese mainland within a week of the start of warming-up, Zeekr said at today's launch.
The launch of the right-hand-drive version of the Zeekr 009 signals Zeekr's increased focus on the international market, with the company's management saying in a media roundtable after the launch that many of Zeekr's future models will be offered in both left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive versions.
The global market for right-hand-drive vehicles stands at around 10 million units per year, while EV penetration is only around 5 percent, signaling big growth space, Zeekr vice president Chen Yu told reporters.
Zeekr is currently focusing on the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market, but is not ruling out the possibility of launching extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) models in the future, its CEO Andy An said in response to a question about EREVs.
In addition to the Zeekr 009, Zeekr's current models include the Zeekr 001, Zeekr 007, and Zeekr X. The company will launch the Zeekr 7X SUV for the family market later this year, which will also be available in both left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive versions.
In the first half of the year, Zeekr sold 87,870 vehicles, up 106.11 percent year-on-year.
The Zeekr 009 sold 2,907 units in the first half of the year, contributing 3.31 percent of Zeekr sales, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
($1 = RMB 7.2697, $1=HK$ 7.8107)
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