Zeekr isn’t a hugely popular brand in the United States, but Geely’s new electric vehicle marque for China is getting up to speed with some very capable engines. For example, the updated Zeekr 001 comes with a 140 kilowatt-hour battery pack that provides power for up to 641 miles (over 1,000 kilometers) between two charges. This essentially makes it the world’s highest production production vehicle to the best of our knowledge.
For 2023, the Zeekr 001 – which the automaker describes as a Luxury Safari Coupe – comes with the same two electric powertrains that were available for the pre-facelift version. The base version has a single electric motor producing 286 horsepower (200 kilowatts), while the flagship model features a dual-motor setup and a peak output of 536 hp (400 kW). The latter sprints from a standstill to 62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) in just 3.8 seconds.
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Three battery options will be sold in China. The first two – 86 kWh and 100 kWh – carry over from the previous model unchanged, providing 339 miles (546 km) and 460 miles (741 km) respectively on a single charge. The big news comes in the form of a massive 140 kWh battery, which will only be available for 1,000 EV units. This gives the Zeekr 001 a fantastic range of 641 miles (1,032 km). Keep in mind that all figures correspond to China’s CLTC cycle.
Not much has changed on the outside and this shouldn’t be too surprising considering the 001’s original launch back in April last year. The vehicle is in the form of a large hatchback similar to a raised crossover with a length of 195.7 inches (4,970 millimeters). If it looks familiar, that’s probably because most of the front fascia is the same as the Lynk and Co models, which are another brand under the Geely umbrella.
The same conservative approach can be seen on the inside where the highlight is the 14.7-inch touchscreen on the center console. We are happy to report that there is also an instrument cluster in the form of an 8.8-inch screen behind the steering wheel.
Customers in China can already order the updated Zeekr 001 and the first vehicles will be delivered later in the first quarter of this year. Prices start at ¥300,000, which is around $43,487 at current exchange rates. Zeekr is also promising an electric vehicle launch in Europe, although we don’t know if the 140 kWh model will also be sold in the Old continent.
