Zeekr — Geely's Electric Premium Brand From the 001 Onwards

Zeekr at a glance

Geely's electric premium brand

Zeekr belongs to the Geely group, whose history is told in the Geely history. In August 2020 Geely presented its Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), a modular platform for electric cars, and in March 2021 it founded Zeekr as a premium electric brand to compete with NIO and Tesla. An Conghui became chief executive.

The first model came from inside the group. The car that became the Zeekr 001 had been planned by the sister brand Lynk & Co and was previewed as the Lynk & Co Zero Concept at the 2020 Beijing Auto Show. In August 2021 Zeekr raised US$500 million in its first outside funding round, and in February 2023 it raised another US$750 million at a valuation of US$13 billion.

The 001 and the first deliveries

The Zeekr 001 was presented at Auto Shanghai on 16 April 2021 and delivered from October 2021. It is built on the SEA platform. The rear-wheel-drive version has 200 kW (272 PS) and the dual-motor version 400 kW (544 PS), with 0–100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. Batteries of 86, 100 and 140 kWh were offered, the last a CATL Qilin pack. In August 2022 Zeekr agreed to use CATL's Qilin batteries, becoming the first brand to put them into global mass production. In September 2023 the brand showed the limited 001 FR with four motors, 930 kW (1,265 PS) and a claimed 0–100 km/h time of 2.02 seconds.

The 001 sold 71,941 in China in 2022, 76,246 in 2023 and 99,984 in 2024. Euro NCAP tested a Long Range RWD version in 2024 and gave it 89% for adult occupants, 88% for children, 84% for vulnerable road users and 83% for safety assist. In August 2024 Zeekr was criticised by owners when it launched a 2025 model-year 001 only six months after the 2024 update. The car's versions and charging are covered in the Zeekr 001 guide.

A wider range: 009, X, 007 and 7X

In 2023 Zeekr launched three more models. The 009, a large electric MPV designed by Jon Rådbrink under Stefan Sielaff, was the first vehicle to use CATL's Qilin cell-to-pack battery; the 140 kWh version is rated at 822 km on the Chinese CLTC cycle, and the dual-motor car has 400 kW. Its rear underbody is a single large casting that, according to reports, cut almost 800 welding points. The Zeekr X, unveiled on 12 April 2023, is a compact crossover sharing its platform with the smart #1 and related to the Volvo EX30; its single-motor version has about 200 kW. Euro NCAP gave the X 91% for adult occupants in 2024. The 007 saloon also arrived in 2023.

The 7X, a mid-size SUV shown at the Chengdu Auto Show in August 2024, entered production on 17 September 2024 and drew 58,429 pre-orders in 20 days. It uses the 800-volt version of the SEA platform; the rear-wheel-drive car has 310 kW and the dual-motor car 475 kW, and the 100 kWh battery gives 615 km on the WLTP cycle. Euro NCAP tested it in 2025 and gave it 91% for adult occupants and 90% for children. The Mix followed in 2024, the 9X and the 007 GT in 2025 and the 8X in 2026. Zeekr also builds the robotaxi used by Waymo: it was announced with Geely in December 2021, unveiled in Los Angeles in November 2022 on the SEA-M platform and in production from 2024.

Europe and export markets

Zeekr entered Europe in 2023 in Sweden and the Netherlands, opening its first European showroom in Stockholm. In mid-2024 it added Denmark, Germany, France, Norway, Israel and Australia, and in July 2024 Thailand with the X. European orders for the 7X opened in the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway in December 2024, with deliveries planned for mid-2025. The 009 reached Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia in 2024, and Zeekr Korea opened in May 2026. Comparable models are listed among the best electric SUVs.

Stock market listing, Lynk and Co, and the Geely buy-out

In May 2024 Zeekr listed its shares on the New York Stock Exchange, raising about US$441 million. In November 2024 Geely reorganised its brands: Zeekr bought 20% of Lynk & Co from Geely Auto for 3.6 billion yuan and Volvo Cars' 30% for 5.4 billion yuan, giving it 51%. The deal closed on 14 February 2025, and Zeekr Group became a holding company with two brands. In July 2025 Geely Auto agreed to buy all the Zeekr shares it did not own; the buy-out was completed in December 2025, and Zeekr left the NYSE.

The business kept growing. Zeekr-brand deliveries reached 222,123 in 2024 and 224,133 in 2025, and the group's output in 2025, including Lynk & Co, was 574,628 vehicles. The 500,000th Zeekr was built on 16 June 2025, 44 months after the first 001. In 2023 the company had 16,645 employees and revenue of US$7.28 billion, with a net loss of US$1.16 billion. Its plant can build up to 300,000 vehicles a year and can be expanded. Zeekr models on 1cars are listed in the Zeekr catalogue.

Zeekr timeline

Landmark Zeekr models

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