Zeekr X electric crossover: Everything you need to know

After releasing a few teasers on its official Twitter page of test mules wearing fancy camouflage, the Geely Group had a virtual introduced the Zeekr X. Zeekr is Geely’s wholly-owned subsidiary and exclusively makes electric vehicles. The first pictures of the new all-electric crossover emerged on the brand’s official Twitter page on February 3, 2023. The Zeekr X is the third EV in the Chinese brand’s line-up, with the 001 and 009 being the other two models.

Design

The Zeekr X has been designed at the brand’s Gothenburg studio in Sweden. It boasts a sharp and suave exterior that looks thoroughly modern and dramatic from certain angles. The front fascia has pronounced ridges on the hood and signature LEDs, the latter featuring geometric extensions that are even more aggressive than the Zeekr 001’s. The lower segment comprises a large rectangular cutout. It amalgamates the grille and bumper into a cohesive unit that houses the EV’s air intakes, LED headlights & turn indicators, plus a front-facing camera – scattered across a body-colored panel.

Viewed in profile, the Zeekr X’s design seems familiar but still urbane with some contemporary touches. For instance, there are no traditional door handles. Instead, the Zeekr X comes with an electronically-activated mechanism that requires pushing a small button integrated into the B- and C-pillars for access into the cabin. This not only introduces a novelty factor to the car but also makes its exterior appear cleaner.

The dual-tone color scheme with a black roof further adds to the visual drama. There’s gloss black trim for the ORVM housings, wheel arches, around the sleek LED taillights, and on the rear bumper. The company also mentioned how the X adopts a frameless design for the doors and rearview mirrors, further elevating the electric crossover’s aesthetic appeal. A sharp kink on the rear doors along with the almost-flat roof of the X reminds us of the Volvo XC40 Recharge, especially when viewed from the rear three-quarter angle.

The two-tone alloy wheels of the X look really sporty, while the flared fenders and relatively-short rear overhang make for a pretty bold stance. The rear of the Zeekr X features a rather small windscreen and wiper combo, though the sloped roofline here with its compact spoiler setup looks chic. The gloss black trim on the tailgate is a stylish touch and even comes with a backlit ‘Zeekr’ branding. Finally, there are vertical LED strips integrated into the bumper and a diffuser setup at the bottom.

There are no official photos revealing the interior of the Zeekr X. That said, we are not expecting the design to be radically different from the 001. A large landscape-oriented touchscreen display should take center stage. There will also be a smaller but fully-digital driver’s display, a frameless rearview mirror, and smartly-placed LEDs for ambient lighting. The relatively-minimalistic cabin should be able to seat 5 occupants, while texture trim and contrasting colors would help liven up the interior.

Features

We are expecting the Zeekr X to be offered with a gesture-activated tailgate, powered front seats, split-folding rear seats, multi-zone automatic climate control, a premium audio system, wireless smartphone connectivity, 5G internet hotspot, a touch-infotainment system with OTA software updates, surround-view cameras, and a host of ADAS features including adaptive cruise control with collision detection and mitigation, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, and Front Cross-Traffic Alert.

Specifications

Platform

The Zeekr compact crossover is based on the Geely Group’s SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform, the company confirmed on its Twitter page on February 1, 2023. Further details regarding the upcoming electric crossover are scarce, but it’s likely to inherit the Zeekr 001’s 800-volt architecture.

Dimensions

As per the CnEVPost report published on February 3, 2023, the Zeekr X measures 4,450 mm (175.2 in.) in length, 1,836 mm (72.2 in.) in width, 1,572 mm (61.9 in.) in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,750 mm (108.2 in.). This means that the all-electric crossover is to be 521 mm (20.5 in.) shorter and 165 mm (6.5 in.) narrower than the Zeekr 001. The latter’s wheelbase is also considerably longer, by 255 mm (10.1 in.).

Battery & charging

The 800-volt SEA platform is capable of supporting up to 360 kW of DC fast charging. Depending on the variant, the Zeekr X could also be offered with an 86 kWh battery pack supplied by CATL, along with single-motor RWD (rear-wheel drive) and dual-motor AWD (all-wheel drive) configurations. We will update the relevant sections as more information comes to the surface.

Performance

The Chinese brand has claimed on its Twitter page that the Zeekr X can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in less than 4 seconds. For reference, the Zeekr 001 achieves the same in a matter of 3.8 seconds.

Sales

The premium EV brand delivered a total of 71,941 units in 2022 that consisted entirely of the Zeekr 001, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group reported on January 16, 2023. With the help of the new 009 electric MPV and the X electric crossover, Zeekr is hoping to double its sales in 2023 while also planning to enter markets in Europe.

⚡@OfficialZeekr will launch its third model this year! pic.twitter.com/w7jo7p16FG

— Geely Group (@GeelyGroup) January 30, 2023

Price & Release Date

The Zeekr X is expected to be revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2023, according to the Chinese publication cited earlier in our story. CnEVPost also mentioned that the production of the new electric crossover is to take place at a Geely facility located in Chengdu, Sichuan province, citing a possible insider source. It’s likely that sales of the Zeekr X in initial markets could commence in Q2 2023, with prices expected to start at CNY 250,000-275,000 (appx. USD 36,900-40,600).

TopElectricSUV says

Even though Zeekr’s sales target for 2022 was 70,000 units, the brand successfully exceeded that by a comfortable margin with just one model. Now that there’s the 009 MPV, to be followed soon by the X crossover, Zeekr’s line-up and its overall sales in 2023 should see the company through the year without much struggle. The eye-catching design and sprightly performance of the Zeekr X mean that younger buyers will take a keen interest in the all-electric crossover, especially if it’s priced right.

Zeekr X FAQs

Featured image: Zeekr twitter page