Test: Zeekr 001 – Swedish Chinese EV with pretensions

What is Zekr?

Zeekr is the fifth brand of the Chinese Geely on the European market after Volvo, Lotus, Polestar and Lynk & Co. The new label only comes to Europe with electric cars, which were partly developed and designed in the former Volvo headquarters in Gothenburg. They kick off with the 001, a five-door liftback that debuted in 2020 (Zeekr did not exist at the time) as a study model from sister brand Lynk & Co – the nose of the first Zeekr therefore shows great similarities with that of the Lynk & Co 01 Incidentally, it is no exception within the group that concept cars eventually make it into production models under a different brand name, such as the Polestar 1, which already made its show debut in 2013 as the Volvo Concept Coupe. After Zeekr was founded in March 2021, it presented the 001 a month later and the first copy rolled off the production line in October of that year. After the 001 comes the Zeekr X, a more compact model that shares its platform and technology with the Volvo EX30 and Smart #1.

Within the Geely pecking order, Zeekr ranks above Volvo.

Where should we place the Zeekr 001?

The Zeekr 001 is a big car. With a length of 4.96 meters and a wheelbase of 3.0 meters, it sits between the Mercedes EQE and the BMW i5. It is precisely those cars from good origins that they want to measure themselves against at Zeekr; the Swedish-Chinese brand sees itself as a premium label. They are placed above Volvo in the internal pecking order. And at first glance they seem to be able to deliver on that.

The Zeekr 001 is the Chinese answer to the Mercedes EQE and the BMW i5.

How’s the interior?

The materials used look beautiful and feel nice, the finish is perfectly fine and seams and cracks are nicely narrow and tight. The design is minimalist, which looks nice, but we do miss some physical buttons. For almost everything you have to rely on the large multimedia screen placed amidships. That infotainment system does not run on Android Automotive like Volvo does, but works on its own Zeekr platform, and there is little wrong with that. The system works quickly, has clear icons (less linguistic than with Nio and Hongqi) and the menu structure is logical. Should Volvo ever opt for this operating system, it will take a step forward.

The materials used and the level of finish leave a good impression.

Is it a spacious car?

We have little to criticize about the seating position, at most that we would like a slightly longer seat. The interior dimensions are not inferior to those of the aforementioned BMW and Mercedes. There is plenty of room both in the front and in the back, even if you are taller than average. You can store your luggage in a spacious, 539-litre trunk. A compact frunk is available at the front for the charging cable, so you can keep your luggage clean on a rainy day. As an extension to the luggage compartment, the rear-wheel drive version can tow a trailer of 1,500 kg, the four-wheel drive can even drag two tons.

Zeekr translates the large exterior dimensions into a spacious interior.

How does the Zeekr 001 drive?

We drive the top version, the Privilege AWD. It not only has standard seat ventilation and massage, but also air suspension (in principle, the 001 has normal coil springs) and electronically controlled shock absorbers. The air-suspended 001 is 1.2 centimeters closer to the asphalt, but with a swipe on the screen it rises 8.3 cm. That can be nice when getting in and out. It provides extra ground clearance, and coupled with a wading depth of 45 centimeters and four-wheel drive, this means that you can also go a long way off the beaten track. On paved surfaces, the chassis proves to be very stable. The body does not make any unnecessary movements, while more than comfort remains. Software and hardware are completely in harmony with each other. The result is a nice and steady car that corners nicely predictably. When we switch from comfort mode to sport mode, we experience a clear character change. The engines suddenly respond more fiercely to the power pedal, the steering becomes a bit more communicative and the body moves even less.

There is little to criticize on the driving characteristics.

How does the 001 perform as an electric car?

The basic version (Long Range RWD) is a rear-wheel drive with the engine (272 hp and 343 Nm) in the back, the two other versions (Performance and Privilege) also have the same engine in the front, which doubles power and torque. In all cases there is a battery on board with a gross capacity of 100 kWh. This means that the rear-wheel drive will reach 620 km according to WLTP, a range on which there is little to criticize. And with four-wheel drive, depending on the version, a neat 580 to 590 km of freedom of movement remains. According to the on-board computer, the average consumption during our first meeting was 21.5 kWh/100 km, given the many stops and accelerations during filming, an entirely acceptable value. You can charge the battery with up to 22 kW AC or 200 kW DC, values ​​that are just fine.

With a 22 kW AC charging station or 200 kW on the DC fast charger, the 100 kWh battery pack is quickly charged.