“Chinese luxury EVs will lead the world”: Meet the Australia-bound Zeekr 009 that has Mercedes, BMW and even Rolls-Royce in its sights
The Zeekr 009 will aim to reshape the luxury people-mover segment when it arrives in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year, with the car maker promising its mammoth EV will deliver new levels of luxury – while simultaneously crashing through Australia’s price ceiling for Chinese electric vehicles.
Unveiled for the first time in right-hand drive in Hong Kong – essentially the same specification that will land in Australia around October – the Zeekr is expected to arrive wearing a price tag well north of $100k, and its flagship grades could push towards, or even beyond, $150k.
Helping to justify that price tag is the 009’s battery pack, with choices between a 108kWh, 116kWh or 140kWh CTP 2.0 CATL battery pack, with range in excess of 700kms on the Chinese test cycle.
Read more:
The 009 is offered with a 400v or 800v architecture – it’s not yet clear exactly which we’ll be getting in Australia – with the latter capable of mega-impressive charging speeds that promise to accrue “one kilometre per second” when plugged into one of Zeekr’s 800kW charging ports.
Impressive though that is, it’s important to point out that charging speeds currently top out at 350kW in Australia. To access the full 350kW, a vehicle requires an 800V architecture. If we get the 400v 009, charging speeds would likely max out at around 175kW.
The RHD 009 displayed in Hong Kong, for example, was fitted with the 116kWh battery, and reported a 582km driving range between charges on the WLTP cycle.
At 5209mm long, 2024mm wide, and 1848mm tall, and with a wheelbase of 3205mm, the 009 is a lot of car, and so unsurprisingly it’s also very heavy, tipping the scales at almost three tonnes.
What is surprising, though, is the power and acceleration the 009’s electric motors are able to deliver. In its most powerful, dual-motor guise – with twin electric motors producing a total 580kW and 810Nm – Zeekr’s van will clip 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds.
Zeekr describes its 009 as the Rolls-Royce of vans, thanks to its TV-sized rear-screen, 20-speaker surround sound Yamaha stereo, luxurious recliner-like seating, and even feet heating designed to act like a hot-stone massage.
Zeekr’s global chief, Andy An, has big international plans for the 009, vowing that “Chinese luxury EVs will lead the world”.
