Goodbye Lynk & Co Zero, Hello Zeekr 001.
Arriving in an amazingly short amount of time after the marque was officially formed, Geely’s latest all electric sub-brand Zeekr has recently launched its first model.
Dubbed the 001, the more eagle-eyed amongst you might notice that it looks suspicious similar to the much-hyped Lynk & Co Zero concept which was slated to enter production this year. Well that is because this new Zeekr is in essence that very car, now just with Zeekr badges instead of Lynk & Co ones on it.
As such therefore, this new Zeekr model will now hold the honour as being the first EV to sit on Geely’s new Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA) platform. Much like the Lynk & Co Zero concept too, this 001 features with an electric motor on either axle that is touted to output a combined 400 kW and 700 Nm of torque.
Continuing on the performance details, the Zeekr claims some remarkable figures too with a 0-100 km/h time of just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of over 200 km/h. On the flip side of the coin meanwhile, the 001 can supposedly also manage to come to a complete stop from 100 km/h in just 34 metres.
Moreover, it is not just the motors that are impressive as the battery also packs deserve some praise. Available in either 86 kWh or a larger 100 kWh capacity, the 001 is supposedly good for up to a whopping 700 km of range on a single charge and can charge at a rather rapid 360 kW for an additional 120 km driving range with just a 5 minute top up.
Moving on from under the skin and to the exterior of the 001, this new Zeekr unsurprisingly features a lot of hallmarks from the Lynk & Co product it was supposed to originally become. The good thing about this however is that this ‘world’s first mass produced pure electric shooting brake’ that measures nearly 5 metres in length does come with a rather capacious 2144 litres of luggage space, which is supposedly one of the biggest in its class.
Other more technical but equally practical features to come with the new 001 include adjustable air suspension that can automatically adjust the ground clearance of the Zeekr from 117 mm to 205mm ‘depending on user requirements’, as well as frameless automatic doors that can detect approaching occupants and close behind them upon their entry. Speaking of approaching occupants, this premium EV has facial recognition technology on board that will automatically detect its users and configure various settings to their personal pre-programmed preferences.
First deliveries of the 001 will begin in China come October 2021, with global market expansion envisioned for 2022 onwards. The fledgling automaker currently aims to open 2 flagship ‘experience centres’ within its home market by this year, with 60 smaller ‘Zeekr Spaces’ opening in high density shopping malls and locations to support offline sales and aftersales. Customers can also purchase their new 001s online through its official smartphone app.
Looking further into the future for Zeekr, the automaker aims to full lifetime over the air updates with four to six updates each year for the 001 in the aim of future-proofing the EV. The company aims to also build 2,200 charging stations with over 20,000 charging facilities by the end of 2023, which will continued to be expanded over time.
Now as to the fate of the Lynk & Co Zero that eventually became this Zeekr seen here, there might still be hope yet that other countries where the former has an established brand presence will see the 001 marketed with a Lynk & Co badge. Sadly however, it is perhaps a not too unreasonable assumption to make that neither the Zero or the 001 will be arriving in Malaysia anytime soon.
PRESS RELEASE: Zeekr, the new pure electric premium brand from Geely Holding Group launched its first car, the 001, at an event held today at the Zeekr Intelligent Factory in Hangzhou Bay, China.
As part of its brand offering, Zeekr will take aim at the premium EV segment in China and selected global markets.
THE BRAND / Not just another car brand, an energy solution provider too.
Zeekr is a new electric mobility technology and solutions company created by Geely Holding Group to satisfy the global demand for premium electric vehicles.
In this rapidly growing segment, consumers are increasingly considering new market entry brands that utilize technology to introduce greater levels of convenience, comfort and luxury to provide a better vehicle ownership experience.
The Zeekr brand will put its end users at the forefront of the brand building and product development process, and will also become an energy provider through the creation of a China-wide Zeekr charging network that will offer high speed charging facilities of up to 360Kwh, among the fastest offered today.
THE CAR / No more boring EVs.
The first model from Zeekr is the 001, the world’s first mass produced pure electric shooting brake. Designed in Sweden at Geely Design Gothenburg, the 001 was designed with the mandate of “No More Boring EV’s” – all new cars from the Zeekr brand must be created to excite users rather than simply be commuter tools.
The 001 is the first electric vehicle that combines high end intelligence and connectivity from Chinese market vehicles, with raw performance and drivability from Western electric vehicle brands, into a single combined package that can perform and excite.
The 001 measures in at (LxWxH) 4970mm, 1999mm, 1560mm with a wheelbase of 3005mm which gives a total luggage space of 2144 litres, one of the biggest in its class.
Based on Geely Holding’s global electric architecture, SEA, the 001 will offer an uncompromised experience for future EV users; on the hardware front, the 001 will offer air suspension that automatically adjusts ground clearance from 117mm to 205mm based on user requirements, frameless automatic doors that detect passengers approaching and close the door upon entry.
On the software and technology front, the 001 will automatically detect approaching users via facial recognition and automatically adjust the 001 to their personal preferences. The 001 will also benefit from full lifetime, Over the Air updates with updates coming at least once per quarter to keep the car ownership highly competitive.
PERFORMANCE / It’s fast, really fast.
With performance at the core of the Zeekr brand image, the 001 has gained a top speed of over 200km/h whilst a 0-100km/h time of just 3.8 seconds has been achieved. In a reverse scenario under extreme braking conditions, 100km/h to 0 needs just 34 meters.
The eMotors used on the front and rear axles offer maximum output of 400Kw, creating over 700Nm of torque in an instant that can be equally spread to all four corners of the 001 in dynamic environments to guarantee traction and stability in all situations.
In addition to adjustable air suspension to improve ride height according to road conditions, the 001 will be able to tackle off-road trails with ease, giving users access to the great outdoors.
Zeekr engineers have spent over 800 hours testing the 001 on high-speed test tracks, often reaching G-Forces of just under 1G in tight corners to see how the 001 behaves at extremes. At launch, two battery packs will be offered to consumers; 86kWh and 100kWh. All batteries have been through extensive testing to ensure safety in event of crash.
THE SALES CHANNELS / How to buy, and where to buy.
Online and offline sales will become the backbone of Zeekr’s sales channels. In 2021 alone, Zeekr plans to open two flagship Zeekr Experience centers with 60 smaller ‘Zeekr Spaces’ opening in high density shopping malls and locations across China. These will be supported by 36 delivery centers and 60 service centers. The Zeekr APP will also allow for the ordering of vehicles and interaction with other Zeekr users.
In addition to sales channels, Zeekr will also be offering subscription and battery leasing in due course to make Zeekr products more accessible.
THE ENERGY NETWORK / Ready to charge.
As well as bringing premium EV’s to market, Zeekr also aims to bring greater convenience to users with the introduction of a Zeekr charging network that will bring charging speeds of up to 360Kw, effectively giving the Zeekr 001 a range boost of 120km after just five minutes of charging.
Under this plan, Zeekr aims to build 2200 charging stations with over 20,000 charging facilities by the end of 2023 which will continued to be expanded over time. Zeekr users will simply be able to drive into the charging station, connect the charging cable and begin to charge, whilst payment can be made digitally through vehicle registration and recognition.
THE QUOTE / From our boss.
Andy An Conghui, CEO of Zeekr Technology, said: “The Zeekr brand is here to succeed in the premium EV segment. We have the best resources of a car company behind us, including an established supply chain and a wide industrial footprint that is ready to begin producing vehicles. We also benefit from a technology driven mindset that is driving us forward, we are here to give consumers a better electric vehicle experience.”
THE WRAP UP / The end.
Zeekr is aiming to create a new benchmark for electric vehicle ownership; by removing or easing all of the pain points presented by current EV brands, Zeekr aims to succeed by playing a bigger part in the vehicle’s ecosphere such as offering full lifetime over the air updates with four to six updates each year and by offering energy providing solutions across the Chinese market.
The first market has been confirmed as China with deliveries beginning in October 2021 and global market expansion beginning in 2022 onwards.
