Zeekr’s 9X SUV, the Swedish-Chinese brand’s first plug-in after a series of fully electric cars, breaks cover as China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published a new list of approved vehicles that will enter the Chinese market.
And everything about this SUV is one size up: not only the dimensions, 5,239 mm in length, 2,019 mm in width, and 1,819 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,169 mm, but also performance and pure electric range.
1,381 hp peak power
With a 2.0-litre turbocharged DHE20-PFZ engine from Aurora Bay and three electric motors, a peak power of 1,030 kW (1,381 hp) is possible.
The gasoline engine is said to have a thermal efficiency exceeding 46%, which is among the world’s best. It would be 5% to 10% more fuel-efficient than a 1.5T hybrid engine, which is often used in large PHEVs. The developer, Aurora Bay, is a Chinese engine manufacturing company specializing in designing and producing advanced engines for commercial vehicles and passenger cars.
+300 km electric range
The Zeekr 9X has a pure electric range of +300 km (CLTC) with a 70 kW ternary lithium battery supplied by a joint venture between CATL and Geely.
The six-seater version is massive, weighing 2,840 to 3,095 kilograms; still, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and has a top speed of 240 km/h.
Not identical to Lynk & Co 900
The Zeekr 9X and Lynk & Co’s 900 flagship PHEV SUV are not identical vehicles, even though they share a significant amount of underlying technology and design elements.
The Zeekr 9X is built on the SEA-S 900-volts platform, while the Lynk & Co 900 utilizes the SPA Evo architecture (800-volts), an updated version of Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform.
The 900V system of the Zeekr allows for a maximum 6C charging rate, allowing for a 20% to 80% charge in 9 minutes.
Started as sister-brands
Zeekr and Lynk & Co. started as sister brands under Volvo-Geely with headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden. In 2024, Zeekr took a controlling stake in Lynk & Co (about 51%), effectively making Lynk & Co a ‘subsidiary’ under Zeekr’s management. Zeekr is positioned as the more upmarket premium variant these days.
The Zeekr 9X and Lynk & Co 900, while similar in size and luxury positioning, have distinct design languages and serve a different target public. Lynk & Co tends to target younger, urban consumers interested in flexible ownership models (like car subscriptions) while Zeekr targets the premium EV segment with flagship electric vehicles.
The top variant at Lynk & Co combines a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with three electric motors—one at the front and two at the rear—delivering a system output of 650 kW (872 hp) and a 0–100 km/h time of 4.3 seconds.
Again, Zeekr sees everything one size up. The Zeekr is expected to launch in the third quarter with an estimated starting price of about 600,000 yuan (€71,700). The Lynk & Co on the other hand, starts from ¥330,000 in China (approximately €39,450).
