When Volvo was bought from Ford by Geely, it was allowed independence to design and continue its pedigree separate from its new owner. As Geely expanded its lineup to offer luxurious and technically advanced electric vehicles, it needed a new brand that wouldn’t compete with Volvo’s target market. Thus, Zeekr was established in 2021.
Zeekr has its own design studio based in Gothenburg, Sweden, led by Stefan Sielaf. The design expression of the multi-cultural team is fresh, understated, and belies the futuristic notion of the electric vehicle itself. Sort of minimalist and modern. When Zeekr launched the 009 minivan in the country, we saw proof of this design concept.
Now, we were privileged to preview the only 7X in the country—a pre-production example. Frameless doors aren’t new, but the fully automated doors are not common, either. The clamshell hood that blends in with the fenders isn’t novel, too, but it’s subtle in its execution. The tucked A-pillar is difficult to notice with its black shiny paint, but it’s there and it gives an illusion that the roof is floating. The teardrop-shaped side mirrors have a thin bezel, like an ultramodern smartphone. Unlike a smartphone, though, it looks organic.
The B-pillar hides an interactive system with a Time of Flight 3D camera and a multimedia touchscreen. It can be configured for facial recognition to lock or open the automated doors. The pixel headlight cluster and lighted Zeekr logo may end up to be the signature face of the brand.
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The interior is luxurious and well-appointed, everything is wrapped in full-grain Nappa leather. Seats are ventilated and the rear seats are power-reclining with massage function. Laser-etched panels have LED light-strips that can be programmed to ripple for ambiance.
After some careful consideration, you’ll realize the design was overseen by a veteran car designer. One who spent most of his career at Audi and had stints with Mercedes Benz and Bentley.
China leads in electric vehicle development and innovation. It used to be a cliche that they made cars that are obnoxiously robotic in design, and cheaply assembled. That has changed, but some are still that way. All of them are pioneering new technologies, all the time.
Zeekr will be the first to introduce some of these, like the 800-volt stack electrical system, which is shared with the Zeekr 009. The 7X will have a 100kWh Kirin battery for a manufacturer-claimed 780km range. Charging this battery for just 15 minutes will add a range of 546km. The new silicone carbide motor accelerates it from 0-100kph in 3.8sec, with 475kW or 637hp driving all four wheels.
The cockpit computer is powered by a Snapdragon chip and the 16-inch OLED touchscreen is lag free and smooth. I won’t be surprised if it clocks a 120Hz refresh rate. Zeekr created its own audio system with 2,160 watts powering 21 speakers. Dolby Atmos provides surround sound that can be configured for 7.1.4 channels. That’s seven ear-level speaker channels, one subwoofer channel, and four overhead speakers.
Zeekr, which developed the Waymo robotaxis, has installed its Intelligent Driving 2.0 on the 7X. That’s a system with one LiDAR scanner, 11 high-definition cameras, five millimeter-wave radars, and 12 ultrasonic radars. Unfortunately, on this pre-production model, it wasn’t fully operational. With over-the-air software updates, it should be possible to fix the bugs.
Safety features include a steel and aluminum body that should pass crash tests with maximum star ratings, but those have not been published yet. The whole vehicle being a rolling cluster of computers, it made sense to shield it from electromagnetic radiation. That’s done with aerospace-grade, multi-layered component protection. Child seat anchors and airbags are standard equipment, as well as a driver-side electromechanical window breaker for emergency egress.
A quick drive around town on a weekend left a lasting impression. Over 700Nm of torque will do that. Shod with 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport EVs, and riding on adjustable air suspension, it’s a luxury sports utility vehicle indeed.
If you’re shopping for a premium or luxury electric mid-size SUV, don’t write that check just yet. Check out the wide range of choices and keep in mind that Zeekr is taking orders ahead of its formal launch. You may be eyeing the smaller Tesla Model Y, but on paper, the 7X closely matches the dimensions of the Kia EV9 or the BYD Sealion 7.
More photos of the Zeekr 7X:
