A few days after being seen still camouflaged, the new Zeekr X finally shows itself in its final form. Initially known as 003, the cousin electric SUV of the Smart #1 and future Volvo EX30 will be the brand’s first model to arrive in Europe.
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8 months Free on the ULYS electronic toll
For some time now, many Asian, and particularly Chinese, manufacturers have been coming to Europe. We are of course thinking of MG, now well established and planning to expand the range of its MG4, but also BYD, Nio and Xpeng, already present in Norway in particular. But now another brand is also preparing to invade the Old Continent. This is Zeekr, a young manufacturer founded in 2021 and which already has very high ambitions.
a supposed look
And for good reason, the firm is part of the Geely group, along with Volvo, Lotus and Lynk & Co, among others. And despite its young age, it has already unveiled two models, a large electric sedan to rival the Tesla Model 3, the 001, and a high-end van dubbed the 009. The latter will soon be available in a version badged as Tesla. Volvo and sold in China.
But the manufacturer does not intend to rest on its achievements. Thus, he revealed several images a few days ago that showed his future creation, still camouflaged. But now the suspense is over, as the brand finally shows the final lines of the one called Zeekr Xnot 003. So it’s on Twitter that the first images are visible, revealing a car with an assumed style.
Of course, the front is inspired by the Zeekr 001, especially in terms of optics, while the entire grille adopts a different design. In any case, the set does not lack character, and that from all angles. In profile, the car shows a stocky silhouette, while the site Chinese car news advertisement a length of 4.45 meters. Thus, the new Zeekr X is 18 centimeters longer than its technical cousin, the Smart #1. It shows a height of 1.57 meters by 1.84 meters tall.
With these dimensions, this newcomer to the range should be quite close to Volvo’s future electric SUV, which will take the name of EX30. The rear end is easily recognizable with its light signature in the form of a simple line and its small roof spoiler. If it seems that work has been done on the aerodynamics, thanks in particular to the handles integrated into the bodywork, the Cx has not yet been presented.
Megane E-Tech shredder, but not only
Unfortunately, we don’t know anything about the driving position at the moment, except its wheelbase is shown at 2.75 meters. A figure then strictly identical to that of the Smart #1, with which the compact SUV shares its new SEA platform. As expected, the interior of this Zeekr X should be quite similar to that of the sedan, which is equipped as a reminder with an 8.8-inch digital phone and a 14.7-inch diagonal touchscreen.
No word has yet been said about the spec sheet for the car, which could replace the powertrain of its Sino-German cousin. As a reminder, this incorporates an 272 horsepower, 343 Nm electric motor shipped only to the rear wheels, for a 0 to 100 km/h achieved in 6.7 seconds. A variant signed by Brabus is also available, claiming 428 horsepower divided between the four wheels. According to Zeekr, the high-performance version of its X will do 0 to 100 km/h in three seconds.
The autonomy could then be around 400 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle, making this newcomer compete with the Jeep Avenger, among others. But it could also be that the compact SUV takes over from the CATL-developed Qilin CTP 3.0 battery, which enables the Zeekr 001 to travel between 546 and 1,032 kilometers on a single charge according to the Chinese CLTC cycle. what do they give approximately 850 to 900 kilometers according to WLTP somewhat stricter European. This battery then shows a capacity from 100 kWh to 140 kWh and it can be recharged in 10 minutes in a very fast terminal, such as Nio’s, delivering a power of 500 kW.
First sold in China from the second quarter, the new Zeekr X will be the first model of the brand to be marketed in Europe, starting with Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. Thus, it will compete head-on with the Renault Mégane E-Tech, the Volkswagen ID.3, soon available in SUV and other BMW iX1, among others.
Volvo boss Jim Rowan confirms the imminent arrival of an electric SUV that is more affordable than the electric cars the brand currently sells. Its name: Volvo EX30. It will be made in China.
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