China’s EV revolution is impossible to ignore—and it came alive in convincing fashion as I joined a media trip to Hangzhou and Ningbo to experience Zeekr, the luxury electric brand under the Geely Group that’s rewriting the rules of luxury and performance mobility.
Our journey began at Zeekr’s sleek headquarters in Hangzhou, where we were introduced to the brand’s fast-rising lineup and its ambitious global strategy. Hangzhou is a city where old and new coexist and where Zeekr’s design and engineering philosophy—a blend of artistry and innovation—made perfect sense.
Zeekr is a relatively new car company, established only in April 2021. Since then, it has blazed new trails with successive debuts of landmark pure EV models in the sedan, SUV, shooting brake (wagon), and MPV categories. In 2024, Zeekr sold 222,123 vehicles, marking an 87-percent growth year on year. To date, Zeekr has sold 526,473 smart and high-performance EVs to customers worldwide.
The message was clear: Zeekr isn’t content to be another EV player. It’s boldly positioning itself as the electric performance benchmark while letting its cars do the talking.
Driving the future: Zeekr 001 FR and 009
Then came the moment every auto journalist anticipates—seat time.
The first car up: the pure-electric Zeekr 001 FR, a jaw-dropping grand tourer that channels supercar energy through all four wheels. With over 1,200 horsepower, quad-motor AWD, and a 0–100 km/h sprint under 3 seconds, it’s not just a fast EV—it’s a true hypercar whose only distinction is that it’s actually attainable even if you’re not a corrupt government official. The short test track that we drove on featured portions that demonstrated the car’s brutally hard acceleration, immense braking, and racecar-like handling easily at par with the best supercars from Germany and Italy. The 001 FR feels planted yet playful, its instant torque pushing you back into the seat while its sophisticated chassis and torque vectoring system keep you in control.
Next was the fully electric Zeekr 009, a truly opulent luxury MPV whose air suspension made it glide over bumps and potholes every bit as comfortably and gracefully as a Rolls-Royce.. Designed for ultimate comfort and serenity, it blends whisper-quiet refinement with next-level technology—twin 15.6-inch screens, Nappa leather seats, and a cabin so isolated it could pass for a sound studio. The 009 redefines what an electric people-mover can be, proving that Zeekr’s engineering depth extends far beyond performance sedans.
We even got to go drifting (as passengers with a professional driver behind the wheel) in the super-sleek Zeekr 007 high-performance luxury sedan and got to check out the magnificent Zeekr 9X ultra-luxury 7-seater SUV, which had the distinctive silhouette and imposing road presence of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
The heart of innovation: Ningbo’s Smart Factory
A two-hour drive away in Ningbo, Zeekr’s advanced manufacturing facility revealed how precision and sustainability drive the brand’s DNA. The fully digital plant operates with near-surgical efficiency—AI-assisted robotics, real-time quality monitoring, and zero-emission production systems, all on display. We also saw electrified Volvo and Polestar models on the same assembly line, attesting to Zeekr’s positioning high on the diverse range of brands of the Geely Group. Watching entire battery modules and body shells glide through the line underscored Zeekr’s commitment to world-class standards.
China’s premium EV ambition
Zeekr’s rise is no accident. As multi-pronged luxury and high-performance part of the Geely ecosystem — alongside Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus — it benefits from a shared pool of R&D expertise and global insight. What sets Zeekr apart is its focus on attainable, lifestyle-driven performance, as evidenced by the staggering array of Zeekr-branded lifestyle merchandising products that could fill up a medium-sized store—from mugs and tumblers to apparel to luggage to model cars to electric scooters to umbrellas. These cars that speak to both the heart and the intellect, combining exhilarating power with sustainable purpose that anyone can relate to.
After four days of exploring Zeekr’s world—and after four visits to China this year—one thing became crystal clear: China’s premium EVs have entered a new era—and Zeekr is solidly among the brands leading the charge. From Hangzhou’s calm elegance to Ningbo’s industrial precision, Zeekr embodies the best of both worlds.
Zeekr isn’t just building electric cars; it’s shaping the future of intelligent mobility—and doing so with confidence, clarity, and speed.
