About Zeekr
Zeekr is Geely's attempt to beat Tesla and the German premium brands at their own game. Launched in 2021, it was built around the SEA electric architecture developed within the Geely group, the same foundation that underpins several Polestar, Volvo, smart and Lotus models. Its first car, the 001, was a striking shooting brake that sold well in China, and it was followed by a rapid stream of models: the 007 sedan, the 009 luxury minivan, the compact X, the 7X SUV, the 7GT and the large 9X flagship SUV.
Zeekr has won praise for its fast charging, powerful drivetrains and plush interiors, and for the speed with which it moves from concept to showroom. It also has an unusual sideline: it builds the purpose-designed electric vehicle that Waymo is adding to its robotaxi fleet, which has raised questions in Washington about Chinese technology on American roads. Corporate life has been busy too. Zeekr listed its shares in New York in 2024, then was folded back into Geely Auto, which also merged it with Lynk & Co.
Outside China, Zeekr sells cars in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South Korea, and it competes with Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Polestar as well as with Chinese rivals such as Nio and Denza. Its strategy has been to undercut Western premium brands on price while matching or exceeding them on technology, and it has been notably quick to adapt its models for right-hand-drive markets.
Look here for new-model launches and first drives, international expansion, sales figures and pricing, along with the Waymo partnership and the policy debates it has stirred. Zeekr is one of the clearest measures of whether Chinese brands can move upmarket and stay there. Its cars are quick, well finished and packed with technology; the open question is whether buyers abroad will pay premium prices for a badge they first encountered only a few years ago, and the sales figures from Europe, Australia and Asia will supply the answer.