Geely Auto’s premium electric vehicle (EV) brand Zeekr debuted its flagship luxury SUV, the 9X, on the opening day of the Shanghai Auto Show on Wednesday, marking the brand’s first foray into hybrid models as it continues to expand globally despite rising geopolitical tensions and tariff disputes.
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Powered by CATL’s battery technology, the new model boasts an all-electric driving range exceeding 380km – the longest among hybrid SUVs worldwide – and accelerates to 100km/h in just three seconds, according to the carmaker. Some people have jokingly given the model from the Hangzhou-based carmaker the nickname “Hangzhou Bay Cullinan”, referring to the Rolls-Royce model that sells for as much as US$500,000.
While Zeekr did not disclose detailed pricing, the 9X will start at around 1 million yuan (US$140,000) based on previously published information, positioning it directly against premium foreign rivals like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter of this year.
The vehicle, which uses two Nvidia Thor chips, is equipped with Zeekr’s in-house G-Pilot autonomous driving system, launched last month, for Level 3 autonomous driving, which allows for “hands-off” driving based on standards set by US-based SAE International.
“Breaking the monopoly of luxury brands, not only in the MPV segment but also in SUVs, is crucial for Chinese EVs to surpass traditional luxury giants,” Zeekr CEO Andy An Conghui said as he unveiled the vehicle on Wednesday morning. “This is our original intention behind creating the 9X,” he said, adding that the 9X was the “most luxurious SUV in the new energy era”.
Stefan Sielaff, head of Zeekr Design, said at a pre-event briefing on Tuesday evening that he had no problem with comparisons of the SUV to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Sielaff added that the 9X represents only the beginning of Zeekr’s planned luxury line-up. “In China, we can do something mind-blowing,” he said.
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Regarding the company’s global expansion plans, tariffs will be the “number one factor” to be considered when entering a new market, said Mars Chen, CEO of Zeekr International, adding that another consideration would be whether it can serve foreign customers in a “high-quality way”.