Chinese premium electric vehicle (EV) brand Zeekr might only be young, but it has grand ambitions.
Launched in Australia in late 2024, the brand is part of the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group that also includes Volvo and Polestar, and was only established in 2021.
Despite this, it wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Tesla – in name recognition, at least, if not in outright volume.
“As a global CMO, our global branding market target is to aim at [being a] top two premium EV brand,” Zeekr International chief marketing officer Frank Li told CarExpert.
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“That is actually more important for us than the volume itself. So when the customers in this market think about the premium EV brand, what will the top two come up in their mind?”
“I hope by the end of 2026 or 2027, we can achieve that when we’re doing the [testing].”
Mr Li says Zeekr refers to Tesla as a premium brand, even if many of its customers don’t – likely because the American carmaker has stepped downmarket with more affordable EVs.
He also referred to Zeekr as “targeting premium to luxury”, and says it has an advantage over Tesla.
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“We think that we will bring the best experience to the customers,” said Mr Li.
“Tesla is like a tech giant, tech-savvy, but [there’s] a little bit less care about the customer’s experience. So this is also what we can improve.
He said he respects brands with heritage such as Audi, BMW, Lexus and Porsche, but called Zeekr a “technology brand”.
“Zeekr’s branding positioning is in the middle of these brands with heritage and also the technology brands like Tesla. So that’s why we are targeting the premium tech,” he said.
“We are a brand that if you are interested in the technology but at the same time you want to have good features, you want to have a good experience, that is our opportunity. So I believe that there is some room for Zeekr.”
Zeekr isn’t talking about taking on Tesla in terms of sheer volume in Australia. It’s targeting up to 10,000 sales in 2026, while Tesla delivered 38,347 vehicles here last year.
Still, that volume target would – based on 2024 tallies – push Zeekr past its corporate cousins Volvo and Polestar, both of which also sell electric vehicles.
Mr Li confirmed Zeekr Australia has delivered nearly 200 examples of the Zeekr X small electric SUV since vehicles started rolling out of mostly temporary showrooms last November.
Deliveries of the electric 009 people mover commenced after, though Zeekr said these “slowly started” as a result of delays at Australian ports.
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The X and 009 will be joined in October or November by the 7X, which will arguably be the brand’s closest rival for a Tesla product yet in Australia.
The 7X is a medium-to-large SUV, which puts it up against the Tesla Model Y in size.
It remains to be seen how it compares in price, but when it was launched last year the X was priced up against the larger, pre-update Model Y, which suggests the 7X will be positioned as a more premium alternative to the top-selling Tesla.
Zeekr has a wider range of vehicles in China, with the 001 large sedan serving as a Tesla Model S rival and the smaller 007 being its closest thing to a Model 3 rival. It also has the Mix people mover, for which Tesla has no competition.
The brand is continuing to expand its global presence, entering markets elsewhere in Asia as well as Latin America and Europe.
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