Zeekr – the tech-loving Chinese performance brand gunning for Tesla, BMW and Audi – will finally launch in the UK towards the end of 2026, bosses have told Auto Express, and the first customer cars should be delivered by early next year.
Zeekr is part of the global powerhouse that is the Geely Auto family, along with Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Smart and taxi-maker LEVC. Geely is also a mainstream electrified car brand itself, which arrived here late last year with its EX5 electric SUV.
Geely’s UK managing director Mike Yang will be the man in charge of introducing Zeekr to our shores this gear. It’s set to be joined by its equally tech-obsessed sister brand Lynk & Co, although he couldn’t provide an exact timeline on when that will arrive here just yet.
Yang also wouldn’t confirm which of Zeekr’s many models will be coming to the UK, but did say: “I will consider two perspectives: the first is what model will stand for Zeekr’s brand image, which is cutting-edge technology and being premium.
“The second perspective is to have the right model that will deliver volume to support the establishing of our brand and our dealers.”
Yang has plenty of options to choose from, as Zeekr currently sells four models in Europe, but has a range of eight in its home market, including the ultra-luxurious 009 MPV. However, he did admit the market for a car like that is very small.
We chatted with Yang at Geely’s HQ in Hangzhou, China, and standing next to us was the towering Zeekr 9X, a colossal 5.2-metre long SUV that makes the Rolls-Royce Cullinan look subtle. The only thing more enormous than this leather-lined leviathan is the 1,395bhp produced by its super hybrid powertrain.
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