Zeekr 7X News

Zeekr has outlined its bold ambitions for Australia, confirming a string of new models and the launch of the Lynk & Co brand, the latter of which will likely be wrapped under the Zeekr umbrella.

Top EVs for first-time electric car buyers.

The Zeekr 7X is gearing up for sale in Australia, with the brand’s MD Frank Li revealing deliveries for the hotly anticipated model would begin on October 15.

Just weeks after Australian pricing was confirmed for the Zeekr 7X, the model has been updated in its home market of China.

At long last, Zeekr has revealed pricing and specifications for its upcoming 7X electric mid-size SUV.

Zeekr didn’t exist five years ago and despite only arriving in Australia last year, it already has two models on sale, but the brand’s head of marketing said its the third model that will change everything, the 7X mid-sized SUV.

Maybe it’s the Ferrari SUV looks or the competitive pricing, but whatever it is Chinese car manufacturer Xiaomi's YU7 electric SUV is selling faster than it’s possible for the company to make, with 240,000 locked-in orders being placed in China within 18 hours after its launch.With a starting price of about A$54,000, the five-metre long five-seater YU7 is a rival to Tesla's Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, Zeekr’s 7X and BYD’s upcoming Tang L. And its popularity should have those carmaking behemoths shaking in their boots.The huge number of orders for the YU7 means Xiaomi's production capacity has been overwhelmed and it will take until early 2027 for it to be able to produce those 240,000 locked-in orders.Xiaomi currently only has one plant located in Beijing with an annual capacity of 150,000 units.  A second plant is under construction and is expected to be operational this month with an annual capacity of 150,000 units as well.In China the YU7 is offered in three grades. The range kicks off with the Standard grade, featuring a single motor powering the rear wheels and producing 235W and 528Nm. Stepping up to the Pro grade brings all-wheel drive and two motors with a combined output of 365kW and 690Nm. Both use a 96.3kWh LFP battery.  Top-of-the-range Max is also all-wheel drive and its motors produce a whopping 508kW and 866Nm. That's enough grunt to throw this SUV from 0 to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds. A bigger 101kWh NCM battery is in the Max.The YU7 is Xiaomi's second vehicle to come to market following the SU7 saloon’s arrival in May, 2024. A rival to Tesla's Model 3 the SU7 has also seen outstanding sales numbers with more than 258,000 sold since its launch. Xiaomi is better known as an electronics maker producing phones especially. While it hasn't been confirmed if the company will come to Australia, given the success of rival Chinese companies like BYD, Geely and MG it's likely the company will bring its products here at some point. 

The latest hot shot electric car from China is due in Australia and comes with an enticing price, depending on how you look at it.

First we had to get our heads around the multitude of new brands going on sale in Australia, now we’re trying to cope with the massive power outputs of the models as Chinese brand Lynk & Co launches its 900 large SUV with a plug-in hybrid system producing a colossal 540kW.The price is relatively small too with the Range Rover-sized, and also extremely luxurious 900, listing for about $62,000 in China.There is more than a passing resemblance to the Range Rover, with the hulking 900 featuring a set-back cabin, tall windows and rounded rear end. Inside the cabin has a minimal design with a giant media screen spanning most of the dashboard.The 900 has three rows of two seats with the second row able to be turned to face the third. A giant drop-down roof-mounted  30-inch 6K media screen is also available for entertainment. Powering the 900 is a choice of two powertrains. The first is a plug-in hybrid 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four cylinder engine making a 140kW and that in turn is paired to two electric motors: a 160kW unit on the front axle and a 230kW motor at the rear. Total combined output is 530kW.The second is also a plug-in hybrid but it uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors - one at the front making 123kW and a rear motor making 230kW for a combined 540kW.As for battery size the 1.5-litre variant has a 44.85kW unit while the 2.0-litre version has a 52.38kWh pack. According to Lynk & Co both 900 models have a combined range of up to about 1350km (CLTC)The big news really is the price with the 900 listing from $62,000 in China. It's not known if Lynk & Co will launch the 900 in Australia. Currently the company is holding off its arrival into our market until its parent company, Zeekr, establishes itself here.The past two years have seen numerous Chinese car manufacturers enter the Australian market including BYD, Geely, Leapmotor, Deepal and JAC.Zeekr, which is owned by auto giant Geely, recently took control over Lynk & Co and it is expected to arrive in Australia by 2028.Zeekr meanwhile has launched it little X SUV and its 009 people mover and a mid-sized 7X will arrive in 2025, too.  Zeekr's 9X which uses the same foundations as the Lynk & Co 900 may also arrive in Australia.

Speaking to CarsGuide at a brand preview event in China, Zeekr’s Australian head of marketing Andrew Haurissa explained that early signs indicated its premium messaging was attracting buyers from the most steadfast luxury brands.While Australia is about to be inundated with an array of new Chinese brands, Geely’s luxury Zeekr arm will be the first to reach beyond the mainstream segment, to challenge perhaps the most difficult corner of the market — the luxury buyer.In this segment, where value is less important and brand cachet survives above all, is Zeekr hitting the mark?According to Haurissa, despite the brand’s strategy of undercutting its key rivals in the space, early signs had buyers coming from Volvo, BMW, and more. “They’re mostly from premium brands” he says of the buyers interested in its first two models, the X small SUV and 009 people mover “These are people who were looking to buy Volvos for example, or even BMWs, sales we’ve converted over from those brands.“The interest coming from the mainstream part of the market I think is because of the amount of noise in the market on all of the new players coming from China”“But ultimately our buyers are looking away from price points, they’re attracted by a Zeekr vehicle itself”He says primarily what buyers are telling the brand in its initial roll-out phase, is more that they are attracted by the futuristic design and having better cabin tech than many other options in the luxury space.“What we found about those just looking for a Chinese vehicle is that they’re surprised isn’t as big as other Chinese cars. These buyers are less well informed and more concerned about price-point. They might tell us the car is impressive but the price point isn’t right."He said ultimately buyers weren’t stepping up from mainstream brands despite the more accessible price point, and that the initial phase, at least, had customers leaning more toward the top-spec all-wheel drive version ($64,900 before on-road costs). An early indicator of the brand’s more luxury messaging getting through.But the comparatively low price-point was still a draw according to Haurissa “It’s a compromise we’re making, and people have the mindset that because you’re an unknown brand, you should be more affordable”“But we say come and compare us like-for-like and you’ll see the difference.”Additionally, lower prices are still a formula for success specifically in the premium EV segment, as many brands are struggling to gain traction with products further up the price-scale.“The premium market has remained strong, but with EVs there are players out there who are definitely doing it right” he says, perhaps a not-so-veiled hint at BMW’s more competitively priced EVs like the iX1, iX3, and iX SUVs selling much better than rival products further up the price-scale from Mercedes-Benz and others, in no small part due to some versions getting in under the LCT threshold for fuel efficient vehicles.Additionally, Haurissa said there’s been a notable shift in the last two years around what once rusted-on buyers are willing to try “The average 55-plus buyer for the first time is very open to trying new things – it’s a very interesting time in the market” he said.“You have to remember what ‘premium’ or ‘luxury’ means is different things to different groups in the market” pointing out that Zeekr was breaking new ground and not “sugarcoating” its status as a Chinese brand.“We’re premium and we’re Chinese. We’re not a European brand with 100 years of history. If we’re compared to the Europeans - let the user have that discussion, it’s just up to us to provide the best product we can.”Zeekr will not only need to gain buyers from the likes of BMW, Volvo, and Mercedes though, as it will also go into battle in 2025 against other more aspirational challenger brands from China like Xpeng, Chery’s Jaecoo, and potentially MG’s IM Motors.One thing is for sure, the sales charts this time in 12 months are set to look very different.