The aspiring Chinese brand Zeekr plans to build on the sales breakthrough the 7X medium electric SUV is delivering with rapid-fire Australian expansion.
At the top of the agenda is a move into plug-in hybrids with the 9X and yet-to-be revealed 8X SUVs.
The 007 GT high-performance electric station wagon is also being studied for Australian introduction.
“These are under consideration,” new Zeekr Australia managing director Frank Li told Ev Authority.
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“So we have a very comprehensive portfolio. We just need to get the right information back to our R&D.
“We are going to actually bring some left-hand drive models first to do some customer review clinics to make sure that this is suitable.
“There is one 007 GT coming to Australia. It’s left-hand drive. We have launched it in China.”
The 9X is a large luxury SUV with a PHEV system claimed to be capable of 300km of EV running and a 3.0 second 0-100km/h dash.
Less is known about the 8X, which is understood to be about the same size as a Toyota Kluger.
The 007 GT comes in 310kW and 475kW AWD dual motor forms and is a little brother to the mental 001 FR sampled by Ev Authority in China last year.
The 7X has now topped more than 1000 pre-orders, with more than 500 placed even before the $57,900 plus on-roads price was announced for the cheapest rear-wheel drive model last week.
That undercuts the dominant player in the medium electric SUV segment, the recently updated Tesla Model Y, which is priced from $58,900.
“Definitely we have a very good start,” said Li. “I think in this segment, 400, 500 (sales) per month is a number that is reachable.”
Achieve that and the 7X will easily be the brand’s biggest seller here, ahead of the smaller X SUV and the niche luxury 009 people-mover. The X has sold 448 examples this year and has had substantial price cut, while 74 009s have been sold.
A sales average of 500 per month would place the 7X only behind the Model Y and the BYD Sealion 7 among electric medium SUVs and also make it one of the most popular EVs sold in Australia outright.
“I think it [7X] brings us the biggest potential,” Confirmed Li. “This will be our major model to sell.”
Li pointed out that sales leadership for 7X would be following the trend already set in China.
“So before, 001 was used to be the best-selling in domestic market. But now 7X has taken the place.”
Li, who also holds the role of vice-president Zeekr International, stressed how important Australian was to the Geely-owned brand’s global ambitions.
“We only have three national sales companies all over the world,” he said.
“Australia, Thailand and Mexico. Apart from these three, most of our international market is based on distributor model. So that actually shows our ambitions in this market.
“The Australian market has the very big potential to become one of the biggest international markets of Zeekr.”
Sales growth ambition will be backed up by an expanded dealer numbers. Currently sitting at 11, Zeekr wants to expand the network to as much as 25 by the end of 2025.
That will include increased coverage in Sydney and Melbourne where Zeekr is encountering significant interest.
Sadly, while a bunch of current and future Zeekr models are on the list for Australia, the funky Mix compact electric people-mover appears to have been all-but ruled out.
“Mix is honestly hard. It’s a model with cutting edge technology,” said Li.
“I’m not sure. Personally, I think that it will be a great product. But at the end of the day…”
The strong response to 7X means there’s already a wait-list, as the first shipload of 500 examples arrive from China to start deliveries in October.
Early 7X adopters were given additional incentive to put their deposits down by free extras including an extra two years warranty and roadside assist, bumping both up from five- to seven-years; a 7kW home charger, a type 2 charging cable, a mini-portable 10 Amp charging cable and complimentary interior and exterior colour choices.
That offer expired August 18. However, until September 30 the two charging cables and complimentary colours are still part of the purchase deal.
