Geely has introduced yet another brand in its effort to push for the adoption of electric vehicles
The launch of Geely’s premium electric brand ZEEKR a few weeks ago seemed to have caused quite a bit of confusion primarily because the Chinese conglomerate already has Geometry in its extensive portfolio of car brands.
On top of that, ZEEKR’s first production model, the 001, looks remarkably similar to the Lynk & Co ZERO concept car that was introduced last year. This leads to the question: What’s the connection between these two Geely brands? And how does it differ from Geometry?
Before going any further, let’s look at the meaning of the name ZEEKR. According to the company, it is a combination of ‘Generation Z’ and ‘geek’. The former, which is born between the mid-90s and the early 2010s, is said to be the new consumer force that sees electrification as the norm and not as an alternative.
Meanwhile, the latter is a widely used term for those that are fixated with and have extensive knowledge of technology, which the automaker says fits its technological focus. With this new brand, it seems that Geely is targeting on a specific group of customers who are young and tech-savvy.
Unlike Lynk & Co, which has petrol and hybrid offerings, ZEEKR will offer only pure electric vehicles. But what about Geometry, Geely’s spinoff brand dedicated solely to EV? It has been said before that Geometry is a mainstream brand that is volume driven and ZEEKR will set itself apart from it with an eye-catching design language that pays particular attention to luxury.
Moreover, ZEEKR aims to attract consumers to EVs by putting design, performance and connectivity at the forefront of its products. The brand will also implement new and innovative ways in generating continuous engagement from consumers.
On that front, ZEEKR cars will be sold online and through experience centres across China, which Geely claims will give future customers the freedom to design and create cars according to their requirements. The company also confirms that there are plans to expand to Europe and North America.
Unlike its rivals in the segment who offer a choice of either performance or connectivity, ZEEKR will offer both in a highly competitive, yet luxury package. The 001 is a reflection of that, featuring a 768Nm dual-motor setup that sends the car from 0 to 100 in under 4 seconds, with a range of over 700 km.
The company adds that connected services will be added continuously to ensure it remains up to date. For this, Geely could leverage the knowledge it acquire from its strategic partnership with Baidu, China’s leader in internet search operations.
The 001 will be the first of five SEA-based models that ZEEKR has committed to delivering in the next five years.
