Under the spotlight at the Greater Bay Area Auto Show, the Zeekr booth drew the eyes of global media—journalists and visitors from Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia stopped in their tracks, capturing the latest developments of China's luxury auto brand with their cameras and pens. This was not only another grand occasion following the international attention Zeekr's multiple models received at the Shanghai Auto Show, but also an important marker of the rising global influence of China's luxury auto brands.
At the booth, the Zeekr 7X had just achieved hot sales results in three European countries (the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden) and then set its sights on Hong Kong, using a 230mm ground clearance to precisely address Hong Kong's mountain-road pain points; the Zeekr 009 Grand Collection Edition won the favor of Middle Eastern tycoons with its "four-gold design," and in Hong Kong, with the powerful dominance of "one out of every two ultra-luxury MPVs being a Zeekr," it reshaped the market landscape; the Zeekr 9X, relying on the hardcore configuration of dual-chamber air suspension and 5 lidars, redefined the global luxury SUV standard... As Chinese automakers leap from "technology followers" to "rule makers," the world is re-examining this "new global calling card": systematic overseas expansion and brand upgrading are the ultimate key for Chinese automobiles to go global!
Product strength breakthrough: from hot sales in Europe to a tough battle in Hong Kong, precisely anchoring global demand
From the global expansion path of the Zeekr 7X, one can clearly see Zeekr's precise insight into the pain points of different markets. In the European market, this model quickly became popular in countries such as the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden as an "all-around family SUV." The key lies in three major "localized adaptations." In terms of terrain adaptation, the 230mm high ground clearance far exceeds that of mainstream European SUVs (for example, the Volkswagen Tiguan's 180mm), and combined with an all-wheel-drive system, it can easily handle snowy mountain roads in Nordic winters and the rugged road conditions in Norway's fjord regions.
In terms of energy replenishment adaptation: the 800V high-voltage system standard across the lineup can, under Europe's fast-charging network, add 300km of range in just 10 minutes of charging, precisely matching European users' composite needs of "long-distance road trips + short-distance commuting." In addition, aesthetic adaptation is equally outstanding. For example, the rugged SUV lines paired with hidden door handles precisely cater to European families' preference for "practical aesthetics."
The Zeekr 7X is about to enter the Hong Kong market in late June, making it worthy of the title "mountain-city conqueror." Given that 70% of Hong Kong is mountainous terrain, its 230mm ground clearance can easily drive through "devil's hairpin" roads such as Lung Pak Road on Victoria Peak, while its compact 4825mm length also makes it easy to maneuver through narrow districts such as Causeway Bay. In addition, in response to Hong Kong families' need for "one car, multiple uses," the rear seats of the Zeekr 7X can be folded in a 4/6 split, expanding the trunk volume enough to hold strollers, camping gear, and other items, precisely meeting local users' core requirement for "spatial flexibility."
Of course, when it comes to entering the Hong Kong market, one cannot fail to mention the Zeekr 009, which has continuously dominated the top spot in Hong Kong's luxury MPV sales rankings. Relevant data show that in Hong Kong's luxury MPV market above 400,000 in 2024, the Zeekr 009 had a market share of as high as 50%, completely ending the monopoly of the Toyota Alphard. At this Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Auto Show, the Zeekr 009 Grand Collection Edition made a stunning appearance. With its "four-gold design" of "gold emblem, gold waistline, gold wheels, and gold cashmere," it set off a new storm in Hong Kong's ultra-luxury MPV market. Its pure electric range of more than 800km and the outstanding performance of the four-wheel-drive version accelerating from 0 to 100 in under 4 seconds also impressed Middle Eastern tycoons.
In addition, the Zeekr 9X, a new car that attracted much attention at the auto show, completely reshaped overseas users' established impression of "Chinese luxury": with the "world's widest one-piece chrome grille" (spanning 1.8 meters) and a "2-square-meter clamshell hood," it displays an extraordinary bearing that surpasses traditional luxury brands. Equipped with dual-chamber enclosed air suspension, it can achieve 110mm of suspension lift, and combined with a maximum ground clearance of 288mm, it perfectly balances road-driving comfort and off-road passing ability. In terms of intelligent technology configuration, the Zeekr 9X is equipped with 5 lidars and an intelligent driving system with computing power of up to 1400TOPS, fully matching the travel expectations of the global elite.
Systematic overseas expansion: "precise customization" from high-temperature batteries to intelligent navigation
As a young automobile brand, Zeekr, through the overseas expansion of luxury individual products, has successfully entered more than 40 countries and regions around the world and won the favor of nearly 500,000 users. Its globalization strategy does not stop merely at the level of "product export," but goes deep into exploring and satisfying local needs through "technological re-engineering."
For example, in the desert regions of the Middle East, summer temperatures often exceed 50°C, creating an extreme climate. In response, Zeekr carefully developed a high-temperature-resistant battery pack. This battery pack uses new electrolyte materials and is equipped with an intelligent temperature control system, successfully reducing the battery degradation rate by 30% and improving range stability by 25%, thereby better meeting the needs of local users.
In countries such as the Netherlands and Sweden, Zeekr quickly adopted the Mapbox high-precision navigation system commonly used by local people and deeply adapted local road data. With this move, Zeekr was praised by Norwegian users as "a Chinese car that understands Europe better than local automakers."
When Zeekr launched right-hand-drive models in Thailand and Malaysia, it fully considered the driver's field of view and redesigned the HUD interface, moving the projection position of key information 15cm to the right. At the same time, it also optimized the steering wheel button layout, making it highly compatible with the driving habits of people in right-hand-drive markets.
If "adapting to local conditions" demonstrates Zeekr's ingenuity, then its three-electric system and intelligent driving system are the key to its ability to stand firmly overseas. At present, Zeekr's 6C Xiaoyao battery has the powerful function of 10-minute fast charging, and combined with Zeekr's 1.3-megawatt V4 ultra-fast charging pile, it set a new global record for hybrid vehicle energy replenishment (only 9 minutes from 20% to 80%). In addition, Zeekr's Qianli Haohan H9 solution is undoubtedly the industry's leading intelligent system at present. The system adopts dual Thor chips, 5 lidars, and a full-link safety redundancy design, achieving a three-level evolution of "perception-cognition-prediction," transforming driving from the previous "conditioned reflex" style of operation into astonishingly precise decision-making.
"To get rich, first build roads." Zeekr's channel construction has been rapid and precise. Up to now, Zeekr has established 1,200 stores in 40 countries and regions, achieving high-end layout with "Chinese speed." It is not hard to see that in Europe's core commercial districts, Zeekr experience stores are located adjacent to BBA flagship stores; in Hong Kong's landmark Central IFC mall, Zeekr experience stores sit next to luxury brands.
Brand upgrading path: from topping the track to defining the rules, a "high-end positioning"
From the development and advancement of the Zeekr brand, the "breakout effect" triggered by its technology flagship is reshaping global users' perception of Chinese luxury cars through the power of performance and technology. The Zeekr 001 FR set a new Nürburgring lap time with an excellent result of "four motors, 0 to 100 in 6 seconds," winning honor for Chinese brands in the performance car field and successfully opening the door to the circle of European supercar enthusiasts; the Zeekr 9X, with its outstanding configuration of "110mm suspension lift + 1.3-megawatt ultra-fast charging," redefined the technical standards of luxury SUVs and attracted great attention from overseas professional media. Undoubtedly, every Zeekr model is the result of the continuous accumulation and display of its technological strength.
In terms of expanding its user base, Zeekr demonstrates "pyramid penetration" style full-domain coverage strength. In Hong Kong's top social circles, the Zeekr 009 is favored by stars such as Aaron Kwok and has become their first-choice ride. These stars show off their cars through social media, triggering "viral spread" and creating a word-of-mouth fission effect within high-end circles; in the European market, the Zeekr X, with a starting price of 200,000 euros, precisely targets the young middle-class family market. With its innovative design of "no door handles + intelligent magic cube space," it attracts user groups under 30, completely breaking the traditional situation in which luxury brands are "dominated by middle-aged users."
From supercar enthusiasts to celebrities and elites, from high-income groups to the young middle class, Zeekr uses advanced technology as ink and user needs as silk, delicately sketching a luxury car consumption blueprint spanning diverse global communities and achieving a true, all-round "high-end positioning."
Looking back again at the Zeekr phenomenon at the Greater Bay Area Auto Show, one finds that the essence of its international popularity is a microcosm of the shift in power in the global automobile industry. From the fading crowds at Tesla's booth to foreign media chasing Chinese brands to film them, this quiet transformation is declaring: with systematic overseas expansion strategies and the ability to define technology, Chinese automakers have finally changed from "students" to "examiners." From Hong Kong to Europe, from the Middle East to South America, Zeekr is using a "new global calling card" to prove to the world: China's intelligent manufacturing is rewriting the future of the global automobile industry. This "Chinese automobile storm" led by Zeekr may have only just begun.
