If the name Zeekr doesn't ring a bell, it's a Chinese automaker founded by Geely last year to serve as the conglomerate's premium brand separate from Volvo. After unveiling the 001 swoopy wagon, the newcomer in the EV game is taking the wraps off the boldly styled 009 minivan. Despite not having a combustion engine that would require cooling, the people mover has a huge fake grille touted as the "Spring of Light" with 154 programmable LEDs.
The Zeekr 009 is imposingly large considering it stretches at 5209 millimeters (205 inches) long, 2024 mm (80 in) wide, and 1867 mm (74 in) tall. Its generous wheelbase of 3205 mm (126 in) creates a spacious three-row cabin with 2+2+2 seating or an optional 2+2 executive configuration. Even though it looks like a box on wheels, the drag coefficient is a remarkably low 0.27, helped by what the automaker refers to as the largest aerodynamic windscreen in the segment.
2023 Zeekr 009
Tipping the scales at 2,830 kilograms (6,239 pounds), the Zeekr 009 is one of the heaviest EVs out there, yet it's seriously quick. It does the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) run in only four and a half seconds courtesy of a punch dual-motor setup with a combined 536 horsepower. It rides on the parent company’s Sustainable Experience Architecture platform, a modular architecture that underpins a variety of EVs, including the Smart #1, Polestar 4, and the Lotus Eletre SUV.
A big and heavy vehicle requires a large battery and Zeekr has fitted its striking AWD minivan with a 140-kWh lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt pack developed by CATL. It's good for 511 miles (822 kilometers) of range per the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC). Impressive range aside, the 009 has a few other aces up its sleeve, including air suspension for a silky smooth ride and the largest one-piece die-cast aluminum structure used in a road-going vehicle. Mounted at the back, the massive piece measures 1400 mm (55 in) long and 1600 mm (57 in) wide.
The interior looks far more conventional than the polarizing exterior, but it too has a few interesting features. Goodies include a 15.6-inch screen mounted on the ceiling, voice recognition for each of the six seats, a large 585 cm2 table, an in-car communication system, and massaging seats wrapped in Nappa leather.
Zeekr says the 009 is the safest minivan in the world courtesy of 30 driver assistant functions included as standard equipment. The electric family car is equipped with 12 short-range ultrasonic radars, one ultra-long-range wave radar, four 2MP surround view cameras, and seven 8 MP HD cameras.
The dramatic-looking 009 is scheduled to go on sale next year in China where the 001 racked up more than 10,000 monthly sales in October for the first time since its launch a year ago.
