Zeekr, an electric vehicle (EV) brand owned by Chinese automotive giant Geely, has previewed its first electric sedan ahead of an in-person reveal at this week’s Guangzhou motor show.
Previously codenamed the CS1E, the 007 sedan is expected to enter the market as a rival to the Tesla Model 3.
According to CarNewsChina, the 007 sedan will be powered by a single electric motor with 152kW of power and 350Nm of torque, good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.5 seconds.
A full charge will reportedly take just 30 minutes.
The 007 measures in at 4865mm long, 1900mm wide, and 1450mm tall, with a 2928 mm wheelbase.
It will be built on Geely’s dedicated electric Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), which supports an 800V electrical architecture, double-wishbone suspension, and a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive configurations.
Three LiDAR units will help power the suite of active safety and driver assistance systems, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 system-on-chip (SoC) will support an enhanced digital cockpit.
Zeekr is set to open up pre-sales in China for the 007 on November 17 when it officially reveals the model.
While the sedan fits in with the broadly sleek, futuristic style of the Zeekr lineup, it features horizontal lighting elements front and rear for a different look from the existing 001 fastback, 009 people mover, and X crossover.
The front fascia features a full-width assembly that incorporates the logo, headlights and daytime running lights.
When drivers turn the car off, this turns black for a seamless look.
On the sedan’s profile, Zeekr has reportedly included Smart Driver Assist Interactive Lights, which indicate the car’s intended parking direction with blue lights, while a full-length glass roof with nano-silvered privacy glass lets light into the cabin.
Through the glass roof, we can make out light, leather-look upholstery and what appears to be a large, free-standing infotainment touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster.
The sedan was designed by a team led by Stefan Sielaff, a designer who has a long history with major European brands such as Audi, Bentley, and Mercedes-Benz and was responsible for the original Audi A1 and A7.
The launch of the brand’s first sedan EV comes as the Chinese brand moves closer to an initial public offering (IPO) filing in the US.
Anonymous sources told Reuters that Zeekr will publish its prospectus and could begin trading shares in the coming weeks.
The same sources said the underwriters are led by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley and the size and price of the float are yet to be decided.
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Zeekr 001
Zeekr initially filed for an IPO confidentially last December, when it aimed to raise more than US$1 billion (AU$1.57 billion).
Achieving a double-digit gross profit in the first half of this year, Zeekr was ranked 13th in EV sales in China among all brands from January to September.
Zeekr’s CEO An Conghui has previously said the brand will launch a new model every six months as part of its plan to reach 650,000 sales a year by 2025.
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Zeekr X
It intends to kickstart this growth and double its current annual sales to 140,000 units by entering the European market in the coming months.
The Zeekr X and 001 models are intended to spearhead the brand’s launch in Europe, and the 007 sedan could be a likely candidate to join the global line-up.
