Zeekr, Geely’s premium EV unit, set to take on BMW, Mercedes in China’s SUV segment

SCMP | March 10, 2025, 7:46 a.m. | Original

Zeekr, Chinese carmaker Geely’s premium EV brand, will launch a luxury SUV priced at 1 million yuan. Photo: Reuters

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Zeekr Intelligent Technology will unveil a luxury model next month, targeted at luring wealthy consumers away from premium foreign brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

The Hangzhou-based unit of Geely Auto, mainland China’s second-largest carmaker by sales, said on Monday that the Zeekr 9X Grand SUV would be priced at about 1 million yuan (US$137,840).

Further details about the plug-in hybrid model, Zeekr’s first since its formation four years ago, will be revealed at the time of the launch. The 9X Grand is the super-luxury edition of the 9X series, with other variants also making their debut next month.

“It will have an engine, but the driving performance is much better than plug-in hybrid EVs,” Zeekr said, adding that deliveries will start in the third quarter this year.

Zeekr will take on BYD , Nio and Xiaomi that also offer luxury EVs on the mainland, where petrol cars sold by the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz are fast losing their lustre in the world’s largest automotive market.
The Zeekr 9X Grand SUV. Photo: Handout
The Zeekr 9X Grand SUV. Photo: Handout

At present, most EVs in China are priced below 300,000 yuan and have largely replaced internal-combustion engine cars due to their high-performance batteries, preliminary self-driving technologies and digital cockpits.

Indonesia jails transgender woman for TikTok comment about Jesus’ hair, sparking outcry Agibot unveils AI model that allows humanoid robots to perform real-world tasks