Chinese Car Maker Zeekr Heads for Europe

The new wave of Chinese brands coming to Europe is beginning in earnest. The latest to come from the world’s leading electric vehicle market is Zeekr.

The company says it will launch in Sweden and the Netherlands in Q4 2023, before further European expansion.

Styling itself as a global electric mobility technology brand, Zeekr will introduce two electric-only EVs on its European debut: the flagship Zeekr 001, a luxury shooting brake with a claimed range of 600 km (373 miles) and a compact urban SUV, the X.

Further models will follow in due course, said Zeekr.

The Chinese OEM is in a good place to take on Europe. Both its debutant vehicles were designed at Zeekr’s Global Design and R&D centers in Gothenburg, Sweden, where it employs 1,500 engineers and designers. The Swedish studio is already responsible for several Geely Group models —Zeekr is owned by the giant Geely corporation that also includes brands such as Volvo Cars and Polestar.

The company’s European headquarters will be located in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

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 produced its first car, the 001, in October 2021, following it up with the 009 MPV. At the end of March, it had delivered 93,000 vehicles.