Zeekr, a premium electric vehicle brand of China’s Geely Automobile, is launching a strategy targeting the high-end luxury market. In a recent interview, Zeekr’s Vice President of Global Design, Stefan Sielaff said that they will open a new chapter of Chinese luxury by combining European design heritage and China’s rapid technological advancement.
Sielaff, a former Bentley design director, cited Zeekr’s unique speed of introducing a vehicle from ideation to mass production in just two years as its strength. In addition, through a merger with Lynk & Co. within the Geely Group, the company plans to clarify its brand image and increase efficiency, laying the foundation for its leap forward as a luxury brand.
The flagship SUV 9X, which was recently unveiled at the Auto Shanghai 2025, is a representative model of Zeekr’s strategy. This vehicle aims for a driving range of over 380 km (236 miles) and a 0-100 km/h (60 mph) acceleration of 3 seconds, and has thrown down the gauntlet in the luxury SUV market by concentrating its top-of-the-line specifications and cutting-edge technology.
In particular, the Zeekr 9X has a new concept powertrain that combines the advantages of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and CATL’s latest Freevoy battery technology is applied.
Vice President Sielaff expressed his ambition, stating that Zeekr will overcome its lack of heritage by aiming for the best in all aspects — including technology, quality, and design — and will present a new standard of luxury. In particular, the strategy is to provide a differentiated luxury experience using traditional Chinese materials targeting young Chinese affluents.
In the case of the Zeekr 9X, it is attempting technological differentiation by introducing a new powertrain that combines the advantages of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
In addition, the use of traditional materials targeting the young Chinese affluent class can be seen as a strategy to emphasize cultural identity. This will serve as an important factor in increasing competitiveness in the global luxury market.
This strategy by Zeekr is evaluated as an important turning point for the Chinese automobile industry to escape the simple low-price image and leap forward as a premium brand. Attention is focused on how Zeekr’s future actions will affect the global luxury electric vehicle market.
