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Business Times
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
Zeekr 009 review: If Bentley did an MPV, it might look like this
[SINGAPORE] In 30 years reviewing cars, the Zeekr 009 is the first one to turn up for me with a chauffeur. As Sean, my affable driver for six hours, slid open the door to usher me into its vast interior, I chose to believe that Premium Automobiles really wanted me to experience what it's like to ride around in the back of the plush electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), instead of suspecting that they'd heard rumours about my driving. Anyway, who would mind being in the business end of a car thoughtfully crafted to deliver a uniquely Chinese take on luxury? For a start, this was the six-seat Flagship version, not the seven-seat Premium one, so the door opened up to a pair of airline-style thrones that reclined into what Zeekr describes as an Eames chair mode. Climb aboard and it's immediately clear that the 009 is a rolling lounge kitted out with every modern convenience known to man except plumbing (although I'd bet a stack of yuan that the Chinese are working on putting a lavatory in, complete with bidet). Meanwhile, you get a huge flip-down screen, a fridge, fold-out tray tables and a Yamaha sound system with 30 speakers. In terms of electric-vehicle hardware, it comes with a 116 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery good for 582 km of range, and if you plug in a 150 kilowatt DC charger, it'll go from 10 to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes. Riding in the back feels like floating on a cloud, only one with seats that cool you, warm you and massage you, all at once if you want. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING The cabin itself is an 80 square-foot masterclass in plushness. It's swathed in soft-touch materials, upholstered in top-grade Nappa leather and dressed in a high-end colour palette that mixes elegant tones with brushed metal accents. Even the crystalline seat switches glint like something from a jewellery counter. In short, the 009 is Zeekr's upscale riposte to the Toyota Alphard market, but done with such refinement that if Bentley ever did an MPV, it might end up like this. The electric drivetrain helps, of course, but it's the combination of whisper-quiet motors and standard air suspension that gives the 009 its uncannily smooth, gliding ride. Riding in the back feels like floating on a cloud, only one with seats that cool you, warm you and massage you, all at once if you want. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up As reluctant as I was to leave my massage session, duty made me climb into the third-row seats. I found them surprisingly habitable, even for adults, the big windows keep things feeling light and airy back there. I was more impressed with the suspension. Unlike the Denza D9, which can get bouncy, the 009 keeps things level and composed. I quizzed Sean about his thoughts on the Zeekr, because I figured I would be the kind of benevolent tycoon who wanted to hear from the hired help from time to time. 'I had a preconception about electric cars. You know, people say they have no soul,' he said. 'Then I drove this and I was like, 'Okay, this is actually really good!'' Sean continued his review by enthusing about the 'bucket loads' of power from the 009's two motors and its smooth braking, but wasn't too hot on the touchscreen controls ('There's just too much going on,' he said), and wished for more physical switches. A man after my own heart. Sean, the writer's affable chauffeur for six hours, ushers the writer into the Zeekr 009's vast interior. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Just in case he was after my job, too, I eventually took the tiller. I'd say the 009 feels vaguely like a land yacht slicing through calm waters, all majestic and smooth. But steer it into a tight car park, and you're suddenly aware that there are several metres of expensive metal behind you. It's a huge car, with all the attendant challenges of driving one, but thankfully the 360-degree camera system is top-notch. Elsewhere, there are sensors galore to keep you from straying out of lane or generally crashing into things, so its size is more daunting than disastrous. As a family MPV, the 009 is less convincing, since the boot isn't particularly big for a car this size, but it's clear that practicality isn't the point here. Zeekr's priorities didn't lie in building you a car for the grocery run, but to arrive like someone who's used to being met at the door. It's a car for someone who prefers to be driven, and who doesn't flinch at a road tax bill of S$6,526 a year. If that's you, the Zeekr 009 definitely has a place in your fleet. Unlike me, however, you'll have to supply your own chauffeur. Zeekr 009 Flagship Motor Power/Torque: 534 hp/ 686 Nm Battery Type/Net Capacity: Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt/116 kWh Charging Time/Type: 30 minutes 10 to 80 per cent (150 kW DC), 13.5 hours (11 kW AC) Range: 582 km 0-100 km/h: 4.5 seconds Top Speed: 210 km/h Efficiency: 22.3 kWh/100 km Agent: Premium Automobiles BEV Price: S$419,999 with COE Available Now
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Fast Lane: New single-motor Zeekr 009 launches, Mitsubishi EVs by 2026, Land Rover goes electric
Single-motor Zeekr 009 electric MPV for sale here A lower-powered, single-motor version of the Zeekr 009 electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) has been approved for sale in Singapore. The 009 Deluxe (7-Seater), which has 250kW of power, instead of 450kW for the dual-motor version, can travel up to 604km before its 116kWh battery needs to be plugged in. The single-motor format also means lower energy consumption, at 21.4kWh/100km as opposed to 22.3kWh/100km. The car takes 7.9 seconds to get from 0-100kmh, compared with 4.5 seconds for the dual-motor version. Priced at $359,999 with certificate of entitlement, the Zeekr 009 Deluxe (7-Seater) is available for test drives at the Zeekr showroom. Mitsubishi EV by second half of 2026 Foxconn will be developing an all-new electric vehicle for Mitsubishi that will be ready by the second half of 2026 PHOTO: REUTERS Mitsubishi will have an electric vehicle ready for sale in Australia and New Zealand in the second half of 2026. The car is not a Mitsubishi in the traditional sense, as it will be developed by a subsidiary of Foxconn, the Taiwanese contract manufacturer best known for making the Apple iPhone. The actual production will be handled by Yulon, which is also a Taiwanese company. The move comes after the initiative to bring Mitsubishi together with Honda and Nissan to form the world's third-largest auto group fell through in February. For its part, Foxconn has been looking for opportunities to partner Japanese carmakers to break into the electric vehicle market. Older Landies go electric Other than missing the exhaust and engine noise, there is very little that differentiates the electric Land Rover from the unmodified version. PHOTO: INVERTED Land Rovers, as old as the Series I that was built between 1948 and 1958, right up to Series III, from 1971 to 1985, can be transformed into electric vehicles without denting their abilities to venture off the beaten path. The conversion is undertaken by Inverted, an independent English company, as a follow-up to the electric version of the Range Rover that it launched in 2023. The work to bring the classic off-roader into the electric age involves gutting out the engine and other oily bits, but retaining the transfer case which contains the selectable final drive ratio and locking differential – critical for the Land Rover to retain its off-roading prowess. In place of the engine is an electric motor with 119kW and 900Nm of torque, far more than any internal combustion engine that the old Land Rovers ever had. The electric conversion also has a selectable drive mode, which alters motor performance and regenerative braking profiles. Given that the engine and related ancillaries are removed, an electric power steering system and servo-assisted brakes are installed. Inverted also announced the launch of the conversion kit for the Land Rover Defender, which has a larger 82kWh battery and a choice of 224kW or 298kW motor Meanwhile, Land Rover, the original car manufacturer, is expected to unveil its first fully electric model later in 2025. Sime Darby Auto Selection rebranded as Auto Selection Auto Selection carries both certified pre-owned BMWs and used cars from other brands. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS Sime Darby Auto Selection has been renamed Auto Selection. In addition to selling used cars of various makes, it will also be handling certified pre-owned BMW cars, which used to be under Performance Premium Selection Limited. Certified pre-owned BMW cars have to be no older than five years old and have mileage that is under 120,000km. These are among the criteria set by the German carmaker for the cars to be qualified under its worldwide used car programme. All cars sold by Auto Selection will come with a one-year extended warranty. The company is part of Sime Darby, the Malaysian multinational conglomerate, which also owns Performance Motors Limited, a BMW dealer in Singapore. Located at 1 Ubi Road 4 and 280 Kampong Arang Road, the Auto Selection showrooms will offer certified pre-owned BMW cars and used cars from other brands. Unique vintage sports car on auction for $6.6 million The upcoming auction at Lake Como includes this one-of-a-kind French sports car. PHOTO: BROAD ARROW AUCTIONS Some of the finest pre- and post-war collector cars will be at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este auction to be held on May 24 and 25 at Lake Como in Italy. These include a 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe, which has an estimated value of between €4.5 million (S$6.6 million) and €6.5 million. The car, bearing chassis number 90034, is said to be the only one to have a Figoni et Falaschi Teardrop Coupe body built on this type of chassis. Catch the unique car in action on To find out more about the auction, go to Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
