Latest news with #Zeekr
The Australian
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Australian
Zeekr 009 Grand vs Lexus LM: Luxury people movers in Australia?
A new breed of beast is lurking in the Australian car market, and it's not a typical SUV or sedan. These machines are all about space, speed and luxury, and they might just be the most opulent people movers to hit Australian roads. The first is called the Zeekr 009 Grand, and it's a sub-variant of the already luxurious Zeekr 009 currently on the market. Zeekr, a member of the Geely group alongside Volvo and Polestar, initially unveiled the standard 009 in 2024, offering six or seven-seat variants priced from $135,900 and $139,900 before on-road costs. Zeekr 009 Grand. Picture: Supplied MORE: Gorgeous looks for new Italian supercar Sales have increased since the launch, with 66 vehicles sold through June of this year. Zeekr is looking to further explore uncharted territories with a proposal to introduce a more luxurious 'Grand' version of the 009. The Grand doesn't have a confirmed price for Australia; however, the variant has already hit the Chinese market at a price that's roughly double that of the standard 009 variant. It's by far the most luxurious vehicle I've sat in. From the inside out, the Grand is packed with features you'd typically expect in a high-end hotel suite. For starters, passengers can enjoy complete privacy thanks to a world-first revolutionary glass technology that offers 10 levels of adjustable window tinting. There are two reclining airline-style rear seats mounted behind the C-pillar, designed with legroom and passenger comfort in mind. Each seat is 24-way power adjustable and separated by a raised centre console that houses a touchscreen control pad for the massive 43-inch LED rear entertainment screen as well as a 31-speaker Yamaha surround sound system and an 18-litre refrigerator. Zeekr 009 Grand. Picture: Supplied Zeekr 009 Grand. Picture: Supplied MORE: What is the best car of the 21st century? The cabin itself is wrapped in hand-polished stainless-steel elements and real Himalayan marble, making it feel more like a private jet than your typical people mover. Like the base 009, the Grand features a dual-motor electric powertrain that can propel the people mover from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds in this application. For a car that weighs over three tonnes, that's pretty impressive. According to Zeekr, this variant offers a driving range of up to 702 km on China's optimistic CLTC test cycle. While the Grand would be welcomed to Australian showrooms, there's no guarantee it will be produced in right-hand drive at this stage. Zeekr is in the process of investigating the viability of a conversion for the Grand, which will be informed by the sales performance of other 009 variants globally. If Zeekr decides to make a right-hand variant and bring it to Australia, who would they compete with? Well, for starters, there is the Lexus LM500H. Priced from just over $220,000 (before on-roads), the top-spec Ultra Luxury version is a four-seat private jet on wheels. Power comes from a 2.4-litre turbocharged hybrid set up, delivering a combined 273kW to all four wheels — a far cry from the electric Zeekr, but still potent. Inside, the LM is kitted out with a 48-inch wide-screen display that can be split between passengers for personalised entertainment. There's also a mini fridge, plush Ottoman seating, and noise-cancelling technology. 2024 Lexus LM luxury people mover. 2024 Lexus LM luxury people mover. MORE: Huge change coming to Aussie roads Then there's BYD's luxury sub-brand Denza, which is tipped to arrive in Australia by the end of 2025 with its first model, the Denza D9. The D9 has been a runaway success in China, selling nearly 118,000 units in 2023. The top-spec versions are expected to cost around AUD $126,000 locally, though pricing hasn't been finalised. Buyers will be able to choose between three plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants and two full-electric versions, with driving ranges ranging from 600 km to 970 km, depending on the configuration. Inside, the D9 offers up to four or seven seats, a 15.6-inch floating touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital driver's display, and a head-up display. A 2024 refresh added electric suction doors and more premium touches aimed at family buyers with a taste for tech. If Denza launches the D9 here, it will add another high-end, hi-tech option to Australia's emerging premium electric people mover segment — one that values sustainability as much as comfort. It seems clear that several brands believe there's a growing market for luxury people movers. It is a niche that combines high-end comfort with cutting-edge technology and sustainability. This emerging demand could be the convincing factor that pushes Zeekr to bring their 009 Grand to Australian shores, offering buyers an entirely new level of opulence in the electric vehicle segment. James Chung Digital Content Creator James is a Digital Content Creator at and is part of the News Corp Australia's digital real estate team. His previous experience includes working for Sky News Australia.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Chinese consumer complaints show widespread padding of car sales figures
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Consumer Anger Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Dealer complaints A tactic used by Chinese automakers and dealers to inflate car sales has grown increasingly common in recent years in response to a bruising price war in the world's largest auto market, a Reuters analysis of consumer complaints has found. Earlier this month, Reuters reported EV brands Neta and Zeekr had arranged for cars to be insured before buyers purchased them, a scheme that effectively inflates sales numbers and gives the appearance the companies were hitting periodic targets. But the controversial tactic was not limited to the two companies and was employed elsewhere in the industry, according to a Reuters review of 97 separate consumer complaints published on three widely used Chinese more than a dozen cases, buyers said they were informed by dealerships that the practice was specifically designed to meet sales allegations cover some of China's largest domestic and foreign brands by sales volume, including homegrown champion BYD and Toyota Volkswagen and Buick. The three foreign brands operate their China businesses in partnerships with state-owned giants GAC and SAIC Motor the earliest complaints date back to 2021, the majority were published this year and last as a price war squeezed an industry crucial to China's export-driven reviewed complaints posted on a third-party site used for consumer dispute resolutions, and two other similar sites. The platforms require owners to verify their identity and submit proof of their most of the cases reviewed, the automakers responded publicly, saying they sought to resolve was not able to independently verify the complaints or their is not clear what portion of China's car sales were inflated by the insurance which is a China joint venture partner for Volkswagen and Buick-owner General Motors, said it is committed to providing users with high-quality and standardised sales services but did not practice effectively disguises how much inventory automakers actually held, said Yale Zhang, managing director at consultancy Automotive Foresight."That could lead to a misjudgment of monthly demand within the industry and result in increased production scheduling," Zhang 2021 and 2025, 48 separate buyers said on that they purchased new cars only to later discover they were already insured by the of the buyers said they felt deceived by the dealerships, especially when they realised the insurance on their cars was registered in other there were 26 separate complaints published between 2021 and 2025 on the 315 auto consumer complaint platform, run by the state-owned China Internet Information 23 were posted between 2022 and 2025 on Black Cat, a widely used consumer complaint platform run by tech firm 14 complaints on the three platforms, buyers of BYD-, Neta-, Toyota-, Buick- and Chevrolet-branded cars said they were told by dealers the practice was aimed at booking sales early to meet complaint, filed in December against a SAIC GM dealer on alleged the automaker required 60 cars to be insured without buyers to meet sales complaint on filed in April alleged a BYD store in Shaanxi told a buyer it had 12 cars insured in a batch to inflate sales last of Li Auto, Changan, FAW-Volkswagen and Geely also reported cars being insured pre-purchase. Volkswagen Group China spokesperson said it refused to boost sales figures through insurance and that complaints would be Reuters identified 29 official media reports from 2020 to 2025 that detailed complaints against dealers of major brands, including BYD and Changan and foreign brands Volkswagen, GM, Toyota, Nissan and Honda , run by their joint ventures with state-owned Chinese media outlets, across 15 provinces and cities, are controlled and owned by the regional nine cases, dealers representing FAW Hongqi, SAIC Roewe, SAIC VW, Dongfeng Nissan, GAC Toyota, GAC Honda and SAIC GM told official media that insuring unsold vehicles was for booking purchases early to meet sales targets.A Honda spokesperson said that GAC Honda prohibits dealers from taking out compulsory insurance before selling new cars and that any dealers found doing so would be dealt with Hongqi said it does not use insurance plans to pre-confirm sales and any such activity was not official company China said it does not require wholesale vehicles to be insured pre-purchase and that it counts deliveries, not insurance, in its sales GAC Toyota, Geely, Changan, Nissan and Li Auto did not respond to requests for also identified five articles published by Chinese courts between March 2023 and March 2025 about consumers taking dealers to court for concealing pre-purchase car insurance. In three of those, the court ruled for the buyers who demanded compensation. Verdicts for the other two were not publicised.'ZERO MILEAGE' Vehicles booked as sold before reaching buyers are called "zero-mileage used cars" in China. The practice emerged out of the cut-throat competition as the market deals with a years-long price war caused by chronic than 100 car brands are competing intensely to survive consolidation, deepening pressure to bolster sales and take market and investors that track the industry use two sets of figures reported by automakers to the industry association show sales from automakers to dealers, while retail data compiled from mandatory traffic insurance registrations show the number of sales to of selling cars with existing insurance policies date back to 2016 when a Cadillac buyer told a regional radio programme he found the car was insured before his practice appears to have picked up after the price war started in early 2023, when several brands led by Li Auto started posting weekly sales rankings on social media based on insurance China Association of Automobile Manufacturers has criticised such postings as unreliable and this month blamed them for intensifying "vicious" competition.
Malaysian Reserve
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Malaysian Reserve
Sunway launches Malaysia's 1st ZEEKR showroom, service centre
The move signals Sunway's growing stake in the EV market, with RM10m already invested and more showrooms planned across the country by SHAUQI WAHAB SUNWAY Trading & Manufacturing officiated the soft launch of Zeekr Space Sunway, alongside the unveiling of Malaysia's first official Zeekr service centre. Located in Sunway, the showroom and service centre aim to redefine electric vehicle (EV) ownership by offering a complete luxury electric experience — from customer engagement to aftersales support — under one roof. Speaking at the event, Sunway Trading & Manufacturing's CEO Yeoh Yuen Chee said the partnership with Zeekr Intelligent Technology Malaysia Sdn Bhd aligns with Sunway's broader vision of sustainable and smart mobility. The Zeekr Space Sunway showcases the brand's latest all-EVs, such as the sleek Zeekr 001 and the futuristic Zeekr X, models that have been making waves in global EV markets for their performance, luxury finishings and cutting-edge technology. These vehicles are powered by high-capacity batteries that deliver fast charging, long range and zero emissions — all while embodying the concept of uncompromised luxury. For Sunway, he said the launch is more than just a retail expansion — it reflects the Group's deeper mission to embed environmental, social and governance (ESG) values across all its verticals from property development and healthcare to education and now, mobility. Yeoh stressed that the Zeekr partnership is a natural extension of the group's sustainability roadmap, particularly its ambition to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 'By introducing Zeekr to Malaysia, we are taking a meaningful step toward accessible, practical and sustainable low-carbon mobility,' he added. He further stressed that the transition to EVs must go hand in hand with infrastructure development and collaboration with digital platforms and charging providers. The Zeekr Space Sunway is therefore positioned not only as a sales touchpoint but also as a core for EV ecosystem building in the Klang Valley and beyond. (From left) Zeekr Intelligent Technology Malaysia country manager Tay Ee Ran, Yeoh and Zeekr Intelligent Technology Malaysia GM Jason Wang at the launch recently This initiative echoes Sunway Group's legacy of integrating sustainable innovation across its business models — including green buildings, solar adoption and circular economy practices — and now adds premium electric mobility to that evolving portfolio. Speaking at the official launch of a new Zeekr showroom and service centre, Head of the Automotive Division, Marcus Chye highlighted the group's strategic alignment with sustainability and EV infrastructure. 'We are heavily invested in Zeekr and this is proof of it,' he commented. He stated that almost RM10 million investment was poured into the new 10,000 sq ft showroom and service facility, which features four service bays and is expandable to double its current size. The facility is equipped with both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) charging stations and forms part of Sunway's broader plan to integrate EV mobility into its property ecosystem. The EV strategy is anchored in Sunway's commitment to ESG principles, with its developments already hosting what he claimed to be the highest number of JomCharge charging stations in the country. 'It's not just about the car, but it's also about the infrastructure. We have very good partners like JomCharge. Sunway properties probably have got the most JomCharge chargers in the whole of Malaysia,' he opined. Sunway has so far put 600 Zeekr vehicles on Malaysian roads, with the premium 009 model making up 80-90% of sales and the more affordable Zeekr 7X expected to take the lead moving forward. Expansion is firmly on the agenda, with Johor's Sunway Iskandar Puteri identified as the next showroom location within the next two months, followed by plans to move into Ipoh and eventually Penang. Despite challenges such as range anxiety and infrastructure limitations, Chye expressed optimism about Malaysia's EV future. 'As soon as you start using an EV car and drive it every day, you start to find out that this is really what you want to drive,' he argued. Sunway Marketing is now offering customers a chance to win a brand-new Zeekr X Premium in the 'Win-a-Zeekr' Customer Appreciation Contest 2025. This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Chinese electric carmaker Zeekr eyes pan-European growth despite tariffs, acting CEO says
China's electric vehicle (EV) company Zeekr is committed to a broad expansion throughout the EU despite tariffs slowing its pace, the company's top European executive has told Euronews. Lothar Schupert, the acting CEO of Zeekr Europe — which is the EV arm of Geely Holdings, one of the Chinese companies targeted by EU tariffs last year — told Euronews' Europe Today the brand was "committed" to Europe. Last October the EU slapped steep duties on China-made electric vehicles (EVs) to offset the effects of Chinese state subsidies, including tax reductions and preferential lending, which Brussels says unfairly undercut European competitors. Decrying the measure as a "naked act of protectionism", Beijing responded with probes into EU-made brandy, pork and dairy, which Brussels then denounced as unfair and unjustified. As expected, Thursday's one-day EU-China summit in Beijing failed to deliver progress on these open fronts. Talks on a potential minimum pricing arrangement in order to remove the tariffs have been underway since April. Asked whether such an arrangement would be acceptable to a company like Zeekr, Schupert simply said they were an advocate of "free trade." He explained that Zeekr had launched its car brand in Europe two years ago, beginning in the Nordic markets, before continuing in Belgium, Switzerland and several others. 'And we're in the middle of the expansion plans at the moment,' he said flagging the company's plans to grow further starting with Germany, the UK, 'and also going forward with France, Italy and Spain." 'At the moment we are preparing. So in the next twelve to twenty-four months, our plans are to be live,' he said. Schubert said 'of course we are opposing against the tariffs', adding they negatively impact consumers. 'The tariffs are hindering us moving in that speed forward since last year,' he explained. But he added that that company has 'done its homework', and is "very much convinced that our sustainable go-to-market approach is now prepared'. "So our commitment is to expand further. Our commitment is to deliver high-level premium products to our consumers in Europe. And independently from the tariffs, our expansion plans goes further." Pressed about EU concerns over the subsidies Beijing pumps into its domestic companies, he said the company had to "gain the trust of the consumers." 'And that is where our main work is on now, launching the markets, creating a brand experience and having a clear relationship to the consumers in Europe, convincing with the products and also attractive pricing and price value proposition where we can be successful.' Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Chinese electric carmaker Zeekr eyes pan-European growth despite tariffs, acting CEO says
China's electric vehicle (EV) company Zeekr is committed to a broad expansion throughout the EU despite tariffs slowing its pace, the company's top European executive has told Euronews. Lothar Schupert, the acting CEO of Zeekr Europe — which is the EV arm of Geely Holdings, one of the Chinese companies targeted by EU tariffs last year — told Euronews' Europe Today the brand was "committed" to Europe. Last October the EU slapped steep duties on China-made electric vehicles (EVs) to offset the effects of Chinese state subsidies, including tax reductions and preferential lending, which Brussels says unfairly undercut European competitors. Decrying the measure as a "naked act of protectionism", Beijing responded with probes into EU-made brandy, pork and dairy, which Brussels then denounced as unfair and unjustified. As expected, Thursday's one-day EU-China summit in Beijing failed to deliver progress on these open fronts. Talks on a potential minimum pricing arrangement in order to remove the tariffs have been underway since April. Asked whether such an arrangement would be acceptable to a company like Zeekr, Schupert simply said they were an advocate of "free trade." He explained that Zeekr had launched its car brand in Europe two years ago, beginning in the Nordic markets, before continuing in Belgium, Switzerland and several others. 'And we're in the middle of the expansion plans at the moment,' he said flagging the company's plans to grow further starting with Germany, the UK, 'and also going forward with France, Italy and Spain." 'At the moment we are preparing. So in the next twelve to twenty-four months, our plans are to be live,' he said. Schubert said 'of course we are opposing against the tariffs', adding they negatively impact consumers. 'The tariffs are hindering us moving in that speed forward since last year,' he explained. But he added that that company has 'done its homework', and is "very much convinced that our sustainable go-to-market approach is now prepared'. "So our commitment is to expand further. Our commitment is to deliver high-level premium products to our consumers in Europe. And independently from the tariffs, our expansion plans goes further." Pressed about EU concerns over the subsidies Beijing pumps into its domestic companies, he said the company had to "gain the trust of the consumers." 'And that is where our main work is on now, launching the markets, creating a brand experience and having a clear relationship to the consumers in Europe, convincing with the products and also attractive pricing and price value proposition where we can be successful.'
