Zeekr, the electric car brand owned by the vast Geely Group that also includes Volvo, Polestar and Lotus, has confirmed that it's going to launch in the European market. And Ireland is likely to be part of its plans.
Sweden and The Netherlands first
The first models will go on sale later this year in Sweden and in The Netherlands, and will include the Zeekr 001 Shooting Brake (think of it as a cross between a Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo and Audi Q5) and the Zeekr X 'urban SUV' that is a chunky crossover rival to the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3 and MG 4.
The Zeekr 001 gets an exceptionally long range thanks to an 86kWh battery, stretching it to 600km, and there's a China-only version that's just been announced with a whopping 140kWh battery and a potential 1,000km range. No word on whether that one's coming to Europe yet.
European engineering hub
Although Zeekr's models have, so far, only been on sale in China, they do have some European input. Thanks to Geely's ownership of Volvo, much of their development and design takes place in Gothenburg in Sweden and they already share platforms with Volvo and Polestar models - as well as Smart cars, thanks to a tie-up between Geely and Mercedes-Benz.
Zeekr's global CEO Andy An said: "It's been just two years since we revealed our first state-of-the-art electric vehicle - the Zeekr 001. The response from customers to our brand has been incredible with over 93,000 units sold already. Our range has grown with the addition of the Zeekr 009 and now with Zeekr X, further unlocking our growth potential. After the last round of A-Series funding, which raised $750 million, Zeekr was valued at $13 billion, and building on that success, we are excited to launch our brand in Europe as a key step in our global strategy."
A more sustainable future
Spiros Fotinos, CEO for Zeekr Europe, said: "European consumers are increasingly ready to make the shift to EVs and are more open than ever to new technology brands - especially ones purely focused on electric vehicles. With the resources, knowledge and experience we've got behind us, Zeekr is well positioned to offer world-class EVs, innovative services and an exceptional experience that will make the transition to electric easier than ever, allowing us to contribute to a more sustainable future.
"Zeekr has deeply studied and understood the needs of European luxury consumers who are ready to make the switch to EV as well as the pain points of existing EV customers. Their anxiety around charging, range, reliability, and residual values will be addressed through a unique one stop shop approach covering a 360-degree combination of services, including, among others, financing, insurance, charging, and connectivity solutions."
No announcement has been made yet as to whether Zeekr will come to Ireland, but it seems likely that it will happen eventually. We'll keep you posted.