Zeekr boosted by strong interest in X electric SUV

While Chinese electric luxury brand Zeekr plays down its Australian sales expectations it has been boosted by about 300 expressions of interest already lodged for the X compact SUV.

Giving local Zeekr management added confidence is those EOIs have been lodged on its new website that has only been soft-launched and without X pricing being announced.

The company is also claiming substantial EOIs in the 009 luxury people-mover that launches before the end of 2024.

Zeekr is a new subsidiary of the expanding Geely Group that already sells Volvo, Polestar and Lotus in Australia, with Smart - which it co-owns with Mercedes-Benz – also about to arrive.

Geely Auto Australia has also recently been set-up to sell Geely-branded vehicles such as the forthcoming E5.

While it was displayed in both rear and all-wheel drive form at the Melbourne EV Expo over the weekend, the Zeekr X will be officially launched and its pricing announced at a media function in Sydney later this week.

It is tipped to be priced from around $60,000.

Details of the Zeekr franchised dealer partners, warranty coverage, the website and a Zeekr wallbox charging and subscription back-up are also expected this week.

The X is then expected to start delivery from mid-October to coincide with Zeekr’s sponsorship of the SXSW Sydney festival.

The 009, which will be offered as both a six and seven-seater, should follow about one month later. It is expected to be priced from $150,000.

“We have got our website running incognito … but we are already taking expressions of interest,” Zeekr Australia marketing chief Andrew Haurissa confirmed to carsales at last weekend’s Melbourne Electric Expo.

“To date we have got close to 300. That’s very encouraging because so far have only done a lot of PR work. We haven’t really done our full campaign yet.

“There’s been nothing large scale.”

Haurissa declined to translate those EOIs into expected sales volume for Zeekr in Australia.

“In terms of sales we haven’t really pre-determined,” he said. “Our ambition and goal is to bring as many of the vehicles we have produced so far to the market.

“Once we get the cars into the market we will figure that out. Volume is very important but we are very flexible in those things being a premium player.”

Zeekr Australia product manager Chris Saltapidas spoke bullishly about X pricing at the expo.

“Being a premium player we will be a very aggressive price-wise, you will be very surprised by where we are priced,” he promised.

“Not only are we playing in that premium segment but being very affordable.”

He also revealed a plan as part of its launch strategy to provide Zeekr’s own AC wallbox chargers to Australian buyers. Zeekr is targeting the German luxury brands as potential opportunities for conquest.

“In Australia EV adoption is on the up, so we are trying to conquest customers who were thinking of purchasing an EV who have not purchased yet.

“So as part of our launch offer we will be offering some EV charging offers – and it’s not confirmed yet and will be subject to announcement – where the car comes with a wallbox and subscription services.

“That’s how we are planning to tackle that hurdle of EV adoption in Australia.

“In China we do have our own Zeekr wallboxes and we are looking at supplying those into the Australian market.

“At the moment they’re going through certification so it’s a work in progress, but we should have those at launch, yes.”

Saltapidas also said Zeekr’s dealer partners would aid its attempts to win over luxury customers.

“We’re partnering with some really renowned dealer partners across Australia with a lot of experience in luxury brands and we are very confident that will be a key differentiator in terms of how we compare with other Chinese brands.

“So far we have roughly 75 per cent of our dealer partners confirmed and sill finalising the details on our last 25 per cent.

“But what we can say is we will have basically 90 per cent of states and territories covered.”

Haurissa pointed to grey import as well as people-movers sold new by brands to help explain why the 009 was attracting expressions of interest.

The 009 follows the likes of the electric LDV Mifa 9 and hybrid Lexus LM people-movers on-sale in Australia.

The XPeng X9 is also expected to come to Australia after receiving hundreds of expression of interest.

“For those bewildered by the number [of people interested in expensive people-movers] just travel around Sydney and see the number of Toyota Alphard, Velfire and Granvia and think about the uptake of Kia Carnival and Nissan Elgrand.

“Where we will be coming in is a bit more upmarket and there will be a selection of private buyers, but also limousine rental, government and things like that.

“Not so much retail fleet because it’s an expensive vehicle.”

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