Chinese automaker, Zeekr, owned by Geely, launched a compact, all-electric sport utility vehicle, the Zeekr X, on Wednesday targeting a premium market in China dominated by German automakers. The automaker has plans to offer the SUV-styled Zeekr X and its Zeekr 001 EV sedan in Western Europe, without specifying the timeline. The starting price of the Zeekr X in China is 189,800 yuan ($27,615.31), with features such as facial recognition to unlock the car and an option for an in-vehicle refrigerator. The company plans to begin deliveries of the Zeekr X in China from June with a target of delivering 40,000 vehicles this year.
Zeekr aims to double its annual sales to around 140,000 vehicles by 2023. It lags behind other electric vehicle peers in China, selling only 15,234 of its two existing models in the first quarter of 2022, which accounted for just 2% of China's battery electric vehicle sales. To date, Nio sold 31,041 vehicles in the same period, while Tesla sold 137,429 vehicles. In targeting Europe, Zeekr joins a range of Chinese automakers, including BYD, Xpeng, and SAIC's MG brand, that are already selling or planning to deliver EVs for that market. The automaker is expected to provide more details on its strategy for overseas sales at the upcoming Auto Shanghai show, scheduled for April 18-27.
