Geely was originally established in 1986 but it didn’t enter the automotive business until 1997. In recent years, the company has grown to become one of the world’s leading players in the electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid markets. It now owns several brands, including Volvo, Lotus, Smart, and Zeekr with the latter being a standalone division for premium electric vehicles. Its latest product is the X crossover, which made its official debut in China less than a month ago.
Thanks to our pals at Wheelsboy, we now have an early review of the model, which was confirmed for a European debut towards the end of this year. The video attached at the top of this page is accompanied by an exclusive photo gallery for the Motor1.com audience, which is embedded just below.
For starters, the Zeekr X is a compact crossover with a somewhat polarizing design that shares many of its components with other products under the Geely umbrella. Based on the firm’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA), the EV has powertrain and battery components that can be also found under the skin of the Smart #1. It features its own distinctive design language though, and it may be a little too modernistic for some customers on the Old Continent.
The interior, however, is beautiful from every angle, especially considering the vehicle’s price – the Zeekr X starts from just $27,600 (189,800 yuan) in base RWD trim and the optional dual-motor AWD model starts at $30,500 (209,800 yuan). This is pretty impressive for a car that has a standard 13-speaker Yamaha sound system, electrically operated front doors, and an adjustable center console.
The optional features include a removable refrigerator at the back and a small display on the B-pillar that displays information about the vehicle’s status. You can choose from a few different modes while the machine is stationary, including a pet mode that keeps the car climatized if your pet is inside.
Zeekr will have the new electric crossover on sale in China in June but it is already offering media drives in the country. A launch on selected European markets is “expected in due course” and Zeekr has promised to keep the EV in Europe quite affordable.
