Zeekr is heading to the heart of the Australian electric vehicle (EV) market later this year with its first mid-sized electric SUV, the 7X.
“Around October or November, 7X will arrive,” Zeekr International’s chief marketing officer, Frank Li, told CarExpert, calling it the “main event” for the young electric brand this year.
The fledgling Chinese auto brand only commenced customer deliveries of its Zeekr X small SUV here late last November, with deliveries of the 009 people mover following thereafter.
Mr Li said he expects Zeekr to sell around 2500 to 3000 vehicles this year in Australia, fuelled by an expansion of its retail network and the arrival of the 7X.
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“If we can push the 7X coming a little bit earlier, maybe the target is going to be more aggressive,” he said.
The 7X will slot in above the X, measuring in at 4825mm long, 1930mm wide, and 1656mm tall, with a 2925mm wheelbase.
This makes it slightly larger than the Tesla Model Y and around the same size as the seven-seat Kia Sorento, though it has only two rows of seating.
The 7X is based on the PMA2+ platform, derived from Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture, and all models have an 800V electric architecture.
Zeekr has yet to confirm what the local 7X lineup will look like.
In China, the 7X is offered with a choice of 75kWh lithium iron phosphate or 100kWh ternary lithium batteries.
With the smaller battery, the 7X offers 605km of range under the CLTC cycle, and Zeekr claims it’ll take 10.5 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent using a DC fast-charger.
Upgrading to the 100kWh battery boosts range to 780km in single-motor guise, or 705km in dual-motor guise. The larger battery takes 15 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent.
Single-motor rear-wheel drive versions produce 310kW of power and 440Nm of torque, with a claimed 0-100km/h time as low as 5.7 seconds.
Dual-motor all-wheel drive versions pump out 475kW and 710Nm, slashing the 0-100km/h time to 3.8 seconds.
The 7X also features both vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) capability.
The SUV rides on double wishbone front and five-link rear independent suspension, with up-spec models featuring Zeekr’s ‘Magic Carpet’ air suspension.
In China, all models come standard with matrix LED headlights and a full suite of active safety technology that is also powered by LiDAR.
The 7X rides on a choice of 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, there’s a 13.02-inch digital instrument cluster, a 16-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 36.21-inch augmented reality head-up display. For rear occupants, there’s an optional 13-inch 2K OLED screen.
There are also dual wireless phone chargers, tri-zone climate control, a fragrance system, and power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, massage and memory.
Zeekr also offers what it calls a rear electric sofa, with a reclining backrest plus heating, ventilation and massage functions and one-touch power folding. Nappa leather upholstery is also optional.
In all, it’s a more comprehensive feature list than the top-selling Tesla Model Y, although Zeekr explicitly calls itself a premium brand.
Zeekr is part of the Geely empire, which also includes brands like Volvo, Polestar and Lotus.
The Zeekr brand was established in 2021, and has been busily expanding its global reach. It now sells vehicles in over 40 markets.
MORE: Everything Zeekr 7X
