The highly anticipated Zeekr 9X has finally launched in China as the marque’s flagship SUV – and crucially, as its first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model, eschewing its previous pure electric stance. It’s got massive gobs of power and an equally remarkable driving range, but perhaps most impressively is that despite its luxury-vehicle positioning, it still managed to amass 42,667 orders in just one hour since its official launch.
It’s definitely not a cheap car, mind you, with prices starting at CNY465,900 (approx. RM285k) – a price you’d normally pay for a BMW 5 Series in China – but perhaps the value proposition here is just too good to pass up.
The Zeekr 9X measures a stately 5,239 mm in length, 2,019 mm in width, and 1,819 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,169 mm — making it comparable to flagship SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz GLS, BMW X7, or even the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Speaking of the Cullinan, the long bonnet and rear overhang with boxy but bold proportions give it an uber-luxurious look reminiscent of the Rolls, but with Zeekr’s own twist, unlike what Dreame had recently put out. Similar to the Zeekr 009, it’s got boxy C-shaped headlights with a large chrome front grille, but unlike the solid panel on the EV MPV, this here gets active air intakes for the engine.
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The car rides on 22-inch rims with various designs to choose from and is complete with a two-layered full-width rear light bar, replete with crystal designs at the corners. Interestingly, the 9X features traditional door handles instead of automated flush door handles like you’d expect from many Chinese carmakers. Perhaps traditional door handles are perceived as more expensive in China?
When you mention of advanced lighting technology, most would think of Audi — but with the Zeekr 9X, maybe not anymore. The Zeekr 9X is fitted with dual-megapixel projection headlights with 1.3 million pixels and a projection size of 150 inches. The headlights can display various graphics on the road, such as guidelines, warning signals, welcome and goodbye graphics, and many more. The front and rear lights also feature a total of 42,242 diamond-cut facets to give them an intricate crystal effect.
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Inside, the Zeekr 9X is available with either a single or dual 16-inch centre infotainment display. Luxury touches include wood veneer trim, a crystal knob, a 16.8-million-colour ambient lighting system, a refrigerator, and a 47-inch augmented-reality heads-up display. A 3,868-watt Naim sound system with active noise cancellation, paired with 11-piece laminated soundproof glass, delivers a refined, quiet cabin — finished with Nappa leather upholstery.
Speaking of which, the Zeekr 9X comes exclusively in a six-seater 2-2-2 layout, with 14 to 16-way adjustable seats depending on the variant. The second row features zero-gravity seats, which can also rotate up to 180 degrees to face the rear passengers, as well as a 17-inch 3K display for entertainment purposes.
As the marque’s first PHEV model, the Zeekr 9X is certainly a statement piece, with a unique powertrain that combines a 275 hp 2.0-litre turbo-four engine with up to three electric motors (depending on variant), all built on a 900V electrical architecture you’ll usually only find on full EVs.
In the ‘entry-level’ Max variant, the dual motors draw power from a 55 kWh ternary lithium-ion battery to deliver a total output of 885 hp and 935 Nm, enabling 0–100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. It offers up to 1,200 km of combined range (CLTC) or 300 km (CLTC) in pure-electric mode.
Upgrade to the Ultra variant, and buyers will have the option for a larger 70 kW battery. This allows for a pure electric range of up to 388 km (CLTC) and a combined range of 1250km.
The higher-end Hyper and Black edition variants add an additional motor on the rear axle – for a total of three electric motors powering all four wheels – giving the luxury SUV a mind-boggling total output of 1,381 hp and 1,410 Nm. Electric power is also sourced from a 70 kW ternary lithium-ion battery, allowing for a pure electric range of 355 km (CLTC) and a combined range of 1165 km (CLTC).
To charge the system up, all variants will have support for 6C charging, which is enabled by its 900-volt architecture. “C” refers to how many times the battery’s capacity can be charged in one hour, with 6C meaning six times. Zeekr also claims that the car will be able to charge from 20-80% in 9 minutes, or the ability to recharge the battery from 30-80% in 90 minutes using the combustion engine, even while driving at highway speeds.
While its performance figures are impressive, Zeekr has also focused on delivering first-class handling and comfort by equipping the 9X with a dual-chamber air suspension system. The front uses a double-wishbone setup, while the rear adopts a multi-link design. Flagship variants further benefit from a 48-volt active anti-roll bar for added cornering stability.
Safety-wise, the Zeekr 9X is fitted with up to five LiDAR sensors and two Nvidia Thor-U SoC chips capable of 1,400 TOPS of computing power. The car comes standard with 11 cameras and a suite of radars allowing for level three autonomy.
Notable advanced features include point-to-point Navigate on Autopilot (NOA), Forward Crossing Warning and Assistance (FCWA), and Remote Automatic Parking (RAP). The car is also capable of Automatic Emergency Steering (AES) at up to speeds of 130 km/h to avoid collisions.
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GALLERY
