Zeekr 001 – Geely’s premium EV sold out in China

Geely made quite a splash when it launched the first model from its new premium electric vehicle brand Zeekr, the 001, in April. Deliveries in China were slated to kick off in October, but such was the demand for the car that the entire allocation for the year has already been sold out, according to Reuters.

The production version of last year’s Lynk & Co Zero concept, the 001 has been spun off into its own brand in order to better take on pure electric rivals like Tesla. It’s claimed to be the world’s first electric shooting brake (although it was originally branded as a coupé-style SUV) and is fairly large, with a length of 4,970 mm, a width of 1,999 mm and a height of 1,560 mm, along with a 3,005 mm wheelbase.

Design-wise, the 001 is almost a facsimile of the Zero and features the usual Lynk & Co hallmarks, such as the split LED headlights with vertical upper daytime running lights and matrix main lamps, full-width grille and segmented full-width taillights. The only differences are the additional cameras on the front fenders on selected models, which pertain to the available driver assistance systems.

Entering the 001 itself is a theatrical affair thanks to powered doors that open when it senses a person approaching and closes automatically. Inside, you’ll find a low-profile dashboard with a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a wraparound centre console, a massive 15.4-inch centre touchscreen, a slim 8.8-inch instrument display and a pebble-like gear selector.

The new Zeekr OS incorporates AI Mate voice control and a facial recognition system that recognises the driver and applies their preferred settings. Zeekr also promises to supply over-the-air updates at least once per quarter to deliver the latest features to the user. An 11-speaker Yamaha surround sound system and a 14.7-inch head-up display are available.

The 001 also comes with power-adjustable front and rear seats as standard and can be optioned with a massage function and Nappa leather and Alcantara upholstery. Zeekr did not reveal boot space with the seats up but it did mention that the 001 can swallow up to 2,144 litres of cargo with the pews folded.

As for safety, the 001 is fitted with no less than seven exterior cameras and a millimetre-wave radar sensor to deliver the usual suite of driver assistance systems from launch. These include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist, blind spot monitoring and a door opening warning. Zeekr says it will also offer semi- and even fully-autonomous driving capabilities in the future, the latter including fully-autonomous parking.

Under the skin, the 001 is built on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), which we’ve already detailed in our deep dive. Specifically, it rides on the larger SEA1 platform for D- to F-segment vehicles. which explains the car’s considerable size.

Buyers can choose from two powertrain configurations, both utilising the same electric motor developing 200 kW (272 PS) and 384 Nm of torque. The rear-wheel-drive single-motor version gets from zero to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds, while the dual-motor all-wheel-drive model uses its 400 kW (544 PS) and 768 Nm to dispatch the century sprint in just 3.8 seconds. Zeekr claims the AWD car maxes out at over 200 km/h.

There are also two battery options on offer – 86 and 100 kWh. Weirdly, the former is only available on the AWD model and delivers a 526 km range on the NEDC cycle. The larger pack, on the other hand, provides a range of 606 km with AWD and an impressive 712 km in two-wheel drive form.

In terms of charging, the 001 only accepts up to 7 kW of AC power for home charging, although it also supports DC fast charging at a rate of up to 360 kW thanks to its 400-volt architecture. Zeekr claims the latter adds up to 120 km of range in just five minutes.

Suspension consists of double wishbones at the front and a multilink setup at the rear. Air suspension is available as an option (it’s standard on the 100 kWh AWD model) and is capable of adjusting the ride height between 117 and 205 mm. Zeekr says the system will even allow the 001 to be driven off the beaten track, with off-road, snow and sand drive modes.

Zeekr will make use of both online and offline sales channels to sell the 001, including two flagship Zeekr Experience centres and 60 smaller “Zeekr Spaces” in shopping malls and other locations across China. This is supported by a network of 36 delivery centres and 60 service centres. The company also offers an app for users to order vehicles, while subscription and battery leasing will be available later on.