10:14 am, April 18, 2023
Chinese brand Zeekr could be the latest plotting an assault on the UK car market after announcing plans to launch in Europe.
The brand, owned by Geely – the Chinese giant behind Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, London Electric Vehicle Company and Lynk & Co – will launch later this year in Sweden.
At the Shanghai auto show this week, Zeekr said Sweden and the Netherlands will be the first countries on its launch plan in quarter four of this year – but others ‘will quickly follow’.
The brand will launch with the Zeekr 001, billed as a ‘luxury shooting brake’, and the Zeekr X, described as an ‘urban SUV’.
Both cars are electric and offer a range of around 372 miles.
The brand has already built a European team some 1,500 people strong with many of the engineers and designers having worked on Geely’s other brands.
In China, Zeekr has built a public charging network – similar to Tesla’s – which is now 396 stations strong and available in 64 cities.
At the start of this year, Zeekr had delivered 93,000 units in China – an impressive milestone for a brand less than two years old.
The Zeekr 001
Zeekr was valued at $13bn after a Series A fundraising round which saw it raise $750m.
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 will join a long line of Chinese brands focussed on launching in Europe and the UK. Recently Chery said it would be heading to the UK and BYD has been busy building its dealer network with Pendragon and Lookers taking on franchises.
The Zeekr X
Car Dealer contacted Zeekr to ask if the UK was on its plans and for details on how the brand will sell its models in European markets.
A spokesperson said that, while they couldn’t give specifics on the UK market, ‘Zeekr is planning to cover all Western Europe by 2026’.
The firm told Car Dealer: ‘We will operate with a direct-to-customer business model, and this will be the core of our strategy in Europe because this enables a really simple, seamless, customer experience. As we continue to grow our global footprint, we will tailor the customer experience to suit the needs of customers in each market.
‘As we scale our business, our direct-to-consumer model doesn’t rule out very selective and exclusive partnerships. However, these would clearly be focused on improving the convenience of our customers who will always maintain a direct relationship to Zeekr.’
Yesterday, Car Dealer reported that just over a quarter of car buyers would consider a Chinese brand for their next vehicle over a more established badge.
Data collected by Carwow found that 29 per cent of people currently in the market for a vehicle would give consideration to a car from China.
