Chinese premium EV maker Zeekr is preparing another update of its 001 electric shooting brake, potentially introducing battery technology capable of charging almost completely in under nine minutes.
But while Chinese customers benefit from increasingly rapid technological advances, European buyers are still offered a considerably slower-charging version.
The new Zeekr 001 has appeared in the latest regulatory filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), ahead of its scheduled launch in the first quarter of 2027.
The documents reveal a rear-wheel-drive version powered by a 370 kW (503 hp) electric motor, capable of reaching up to 280 km/hour. It uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries supplied by Geely and retains the distinctive shooting-brake design.
Measuring almost five meters long, the updated 001 will also offer more personalization options and a towing capacity of up to two tonnes.
Eight minutes and forty seconds
The most intriguing possibility concerns charging. Parent company Geely unveiled its new Smart Charging technology in September, reporting remarkable results from tests involving the Zeekr 001 and Lynk & Co 10.
According to Geely, the battery charged from 10 to 70% in just four minutes and thirty seconds, reaching 97% in eight minutes and forty seconds.
The system combines advanced liquid cooling, artificial intelligence and sophisticated battery management to control temperatures during extremely high-power charging. Geely also claims its technology can improve battery lifespan by up to 20%.
However, the figures remain manufacturer-reported test results, and Zeekr has not officially confirmed that the upcoming production 001 will offer identical performance.
Moreover, such speeds require compatible ultra-high-power charging infrastructure, which remains scarce in Europe.
Europe increasingly left behind?
The technological contrast with Europe is striking. The Zeekr 001 currently sold in Belgium and the Netherlands uses an older 400V-class electrical architecture, with DC charging limited to 200 kW.
Charging its 100 kWh battery from 10 to 80% takes approximately thirty minutes, according to Zeekr’s European specifications.
Meanwhile, the Chinese 001 already offers a 900V architecture and seven-minute charging from 10 to 80% in its fastest-charging version. The forthcoming update retains that architecture.
Even Zeekr’s newer European models have overtaken the 001: the 7X SUV and 7GT shooting brake advertise charging times as low as thirteen minutes.
There is currently no confirmation of when, or even whether, the updated Chinese 001 will reach European showrooms. Nor has Zeekr announced whether European customers will benefit from its latest battery technology.
Swedish roots, Chinese priorities
Although Zeekr has strong Swedish roots, with its global design center and important engineering operations in Gothenburg, the brand is firmly under Chinese control.
Parent company Geely completed its full takeover in December 2025, removing Zeekr from the New York Stock Exchange. Its European engineering activities have since been integrated into Geely Technology Europe, combining expertise in Sweden and Germany.
The new 001 illustrates how China’s domestic market is increasingly setting the technological pace, while European customers are still waiting for innovations already available in Chinese showrooms.
Modest sales, growing competition
The update also comes against a challenging commercial background. In China, Zeekr 001 deliveries fell by 21.5% during the first eight months of 2026, to 20,076 vehicles, despite the brand’s broader expansion.
In the Netherlands, 1,205 Zeekr 001s were registered to owners as of November 2, according to RDW-based figures. Only 148 new examples were sold during the first ten months of 2026, compared with 412 throughout 2025.
In Belgium, Zeekr registered 975 vehicles across its entire model range between January and October, compared with just fourteen a year earlier. Separate 001 figures are not yet available.
For Zeekr, the challenge is therefore twofold: keeping its flagship competitive in China while preventing European customers from feeling they are buying yesterday’s technology.
With Chinese EV manufacturers accelerating development cycles, the delay between domestic innovation and European availability could become increasingly difficult to justify.
