Zeekr's new 1030kW SUV confirmed: Zeekr 8X to arrive in 2027 as hyped new luxury plug-in hybrid SUV rival to the Range Rover Sport, Lexus RX and Audi Q5

Zeekr will follow-up its popular 7X electric SUV with the just-revealed 8X large plug-in hybrid SUV.

The 8X was just detailed in China ahead of its domestic launch, and speaking to CarsGuide, Zeekr Australia’s Managing Director Frank Li confirmed it would come to Australia next year.

“We’ll have the 8X official launch event in April in China,” he said. “Three models will come across next year, 7GT, 9X and 8X, but we haven’t had the final date for which one will come first, or in which month or what quarter.

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The 8X will sit above the CarsGuide Car of the Year award-winning 7X mid-size electric SUV, but below the brand’s flagship 9X three-row large SUV. At over five-meters long it is still in the large SUV category despite being a five-seater, which puts it up against the Range Rover Sport, Audi Q8 and Lexus RX.

It is closer in design and styling to the 9X and the 009 people mover, featuring a chrome grille and big alloy wheels, although has softer edges than the more boxy flagship 9X.

The 8X will use a 205kW 2.0-litre petrol turbo plug-in hybrid set-up producing 660kW in dual-motor AWD form, or even up to 1030kW in tri-motor Performance form, which is plotted to have a 0-100km/h sprint time in the realm of 2.0 seconds, according to regulatory filings with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

2026 Zeekr 8X

It is equipped with either a 55.1kWh or a 70kWh battery offering a purely electric range of either 256km or 328km, and sports an 800-volt electrical system to allow for ultra-fast charging.

On the performance front, the car will feature active anti-rollbars, dual-chamber air suspension, and adaptive damping, along with what appears from pre-release images to be a sport-oriented Michelin tyre package.

The just-revealed-in-China interior also shows the 8X will carry across many of its interior features from the 9X as well, including two huge dash-spanning multimedia screens, a separate digital instrument cluster, and even a rear entertainment touchscreen for the second row.

2026 Zeekr 8X

Elsewhere, the large luxury SUV features plaid interior leather, reclining outboard rear seats and at least the option of a roof-mounted screen and a panoramic sunroof.

Zeekr will be looking to capitalise on momentum from its successful 7X launch, after a slow launch in Australia with the X small SUV and niche 009 electric luxury people mover.

Despite only being on sale for a few months, the 7X managed to account for over 60 per cent of the Chinese luxury brand’s sales in 2025, a streak which is more than continuing in 2026. The brand also recently added the Black Edition specified based on "customer feedback" specifically for the Australian market.

2026 Zeekr 8X

Expect to learn more about Zeekr’s roll-out plan for the remainder of 2026 and its new models plotted for 2027 and beyond shortly, as the company gears up for the Beijing Motor Show in April.