Quick Review of Zeekr 001: Compact Design, Powerful Configuration, “Selling like Hotcakes”

Zeekr is a subsidiary brand of Geely, positioned as a premium car manufacturer specializing in electric models, mainly SUVs. In their product lineup, Zeekr has the 001, a mid-size SUV which offers the most attractive price in the Zeekr family, without compromising on its unique design and powerful engine.

Zeekr 001 debuts with a competitive price

The new Zeekr 001 was officially launched on February 27, 2024, as a statement by the Chinese automaker in the electric SUV segment. In this version, they have made some important adjustments for the Zeekr 001.

Quick review of the Zeekr 001: Compact design, powerful configuration, “selling like hotcakes”

But first, let’s talk about the price. The mid-size SUV Zeekr 001 2024 is introduced in a total of four versions, with prices ranging from 269,000 Chinese yuan to 329,000 Chinese yuan, equivalent to 875 million VND to 1.07 billion VND.

Yesterday, on March 17, 2024, less than 20 days before the official launch of the Zeekr 001, the Chinese automaker announced that orders for their mid-size SUV had exceeded 20,000 units and deliveries have begun, with a target of reaching 30,000 units in the first month.

Exterior design

In terms of exterior design, the 2024 Zeekr 001 follows the style of off-road vehicles but with an elegant touch, with some minor adjustments.

Specifically, the front of the car has a similar shape as the Zeekr 001 FR racing car, with a wider air intake at the lower part of the front face and larger air guide grooves on the sides. The overall front face of the mid-size SUV now looks more aggressive. The most obvious change is the addition of lidar on the roof, bringing a leap forward in intelligent driving capabilities.

From the side, the new Zeekr 001 retains its sleek and eye-catching lines, with extended fenders at the front and rear, and high-profile crease lines on the door panels, demonstrating the car’s sturdy appearance. In addition, the charging port is integrated into the rear, simplifying the design and creating a smoother profile.

The new dual-tone alloy wheels have a unique and eye-catching design, with a maximum size of 22 inches. It’s worth noting that the new Zeekr 001 is also available in a new green color, which adds a mysterious and personalized touch.

In terms of the dimensions, the length, width, and height of the new Zeekr 001 will be 4,977 mm x 1,999 mm x 1,545 mm, with a wheelbase of 3,005 mm. The new car also uses the Magic Carpet active suspension system and CCD electromagnetic damping system. The new dual-chamber air springs can be adjusted for both height and stiffness. The ground clearance is up to 193 mm, with a maximum climbing angle of 70%, suitable for both sports and outdoor travel.

At the rear of the car, the reflector lights on both sides have been replaced with a trapezoidal design similar to the Zeekr 001 FR. The rear of the car is widened, adding a sense of harmony to the front and a more aggressive and sporty look to the rear.

Other practical features that have been added include the smart electric trailer package, hidden trailer hitch, and electric folding, which can be operated with a button on the central control screen. The maximum towing weight is up to 2 tons.

Interior

The interior of the mid-size SUV Zeekr 001 has also been upgraded with more details. It uses standard Nappa leather and other luxurious materials, and the design details on the central control panel have also been simplified, creating a more visually pleasing effect.

The car is equipped with the 8295 chip and the latest Zeekr OS 6.0 operating system. The large 15.05-inch 2.5K OLED central control screen is also visually pleasing, providing a smooth and captivating user experience. In addition, it features the latest AR-HUD 35.5-inch head-up display.

It’s worth noting that the Zeekr 001 2024 will use the satellite communication technology installed on the previous racing model, allowing the car to perform satellite messaging and two-way satellite communication, enabling Zeekr users to unlock tourist areas where there was previously no network coverage.

Furthermore, the power window buttons in the new Zeekr 001 are replaced with touch-sensitive switches, the electronic door handles are upgraded, and the wireless charging area is covered in suede leather. It’s also noteworthy that the Zeekr 001 2024 has added a 5D movie mode, linked with the 7.1.4-channel surround sound system, 5D motion-adjustable seats, and the new generation of region-adjustable brightness diffusers.

These changes, such as rain and snow effects, provide a sensory experience in terms of vision, hearing, temperature, touch, and smell. In addition to touch and voice interaction, the new Zeekr 001 also features a unique “eye recognition” algorithm – eye interaction. When activated, the system can operate visually with just a glance, adjusting the rearview mirror, raising and lowering windows, closing doors, and more.

Safety Technology

The upgraded Zeekr 001 lidar system (standard for all models) will achieve ultra-long detection range, high-precision perception, more sensitive road condition identification, and intelligent driving capabilities that can include automatic parking (APA), high-speed driving, and all urban scenarios.

The intelligent parking feature of the new car has been comprehensively upgraded, in addition to regular parking spaces, it can also perform automatic parallel parking. The fingertip parking function has attracted much attention and is expected to be released via OTA in the second quarter of this year. The high-speed NZP is ready for use after delivery and will cover more than 60 cities nationwide by the end of March.

In the second quarter of this year, Urban NZP will also launch its first public testing phase for users in core cities nationwide.

Powertrain

The new Zeekr 001 has 1,118 upgrades compared to the previous model, and has been comprehensively developed in terms of electric, driving control, cockpit, safety, and intelligence, as a replacement.

Lastly, the Zeekr 001 2024 is equipped with the full range of high-voltage technology platform and the underlying system has been completely rebuilt. Both front and rear motors are equipped with high-performance dual silicon carbide (SiC) drive systems, similar to the Zeekr 001 FR.

It offers 10 driving modes to choose from, including modes similar to those of the 001 FR. The Race mode and Drift mode of this model are standard for all models and can be used immediately upon delivery. The Z-Sport version can also be upgraded with an exclusive racing mode, with over 13,000 customizable driving styles.

The maximum power of the Zeekr 001 rear-wheel-drive model is 310 kW, equivalent to 416 horsepower, with the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds.

The maximum power of the front motor of the all-wheel-drive model is 270 kW, and the rear motor is 310 kW. The total system power output is 580 kW, equivalent to 778 horsepower, with a maximum torque of 810 Nm. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 3.3 seconds, a significant improvement over previous models.

For the battery, the new Zeekr 001 offers two choices. The 001 FR uses the same 100 kWh battery pack, with a maximum charging speed of 4C, which means it only takes 15 minutes to charge from 10% to 80% state of charge (SoC). The Shenxing 95 kWh battery has a maximum charging speed of 5C, SoC, taking only 11.5 minutes to charge from 10% to 80% SoC. Furthermore, after just 5 minutes of charging, the car can gain an additional 256 km of driving range.

The global PTM 2.0 thermal management system provides 22 working modes to improve energy utilization efficiency. The available range is 675 km, 705 km, and 750 km depending on the model.