Chinese EV brand Zeekr to enter select European markets in 2023
zeekr 001 Geely
Chinese multinational automotive giant Geely’s premium electric car brand Zeekr is all set to enter Europe in 2023, with the 001 Liftback to be the first EV to be introduced in select European markets, the brand’s top executive confirmed.
Zeekr Chief Executive Officer (CEO) An Conghui, who is also serving as the president of Geely Holding and Chairman of Geely Auto, confirmed the company’s entry into European market on sidelines of the launch of the new Zeekr 009 all-electric minivan in China.
However, Zeekr has yet to reveal which European markets the brand is planning to enter or whether it would offer right-hand-drive versions or left-hand-drive versions of its models in European markets like Britain.
An official announcement providing more details about the premium EV brand’s entry into select European countries will likely be made at the end of November 2022.
Meanwhile, some unconfirmed reports have claimed that Zeekr is also planning to sell a new four-door sedan and a midsize SUV in some European markets. Citing anonymous sources, the reports also claimed that both vehicles have been designed and developed to meet European safety rules & regulations. Two other Zeekr EVs will purportedly follow in the subsequent year of 2024, but there is no information regarding them at the moment.
As Geely has plans to make Zeekr a global brand, the brand’s entry into Europe will be the first major step in that direction. A few months back, Zeekr revealed in a press release that it wanted to extend its Chinese lineup to at least six electric models within the next couple of years.
Zeekr is a subsidiary of Geely, and it is on the way to be spun off. In late October, the parent company proposed to list Zeekr as an independent company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE), and the proposal was readily accepted. However, details of the timing are yet to be confirmed. Launched last year, the all-electric 001 liftback was Zeekr’s single model on sale before the brand introduced the 009 minivan. The company sold 10,109 units of the all-electric $41,000 EV in China in October, which set a new record for the model. As per Zeekr’s claims, the brand is on track to sell at least 70,000 units of the electric model by the end of this year. The brand also maintains its self-imposed goal of selling up to 650,000 EVs per year by 2025.
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