Geely-owned Zeekr teases compact EV crossover

The third car of the Hangzhou-based electric car brand Zeekrowned by Chinese auto giant Geely, has been teased on social media ahead of its launch later this year.

The name is speculated 003 appears in the form of a five-door compact crossover that is expected to begin production later this year.

It will join Zeekr’s first model, the 001 liftback, and carrier 009will mainly target the Chinese market.

The teaser images show what looks to be a production-ready C-segment SUV, amusingly captured alongside a Audi e-tron GTthat’s not far from the design language of the other two models in the Zeekr lineup.

Colorful camouflage wraps obscure the model’s exact lines, but side images show the upright silhouette, bulging hips, flat door handles, and geometrically designed wheels.

There are also slim taillights and headlights.

Official details on the model’s powertrain and performance are yet to be announced, but car The 003 report will be offered with a choice of single-engine rear-wheel drive and dual-engine all-wheel drive setup, with outputs ranging from around 200 kW to 315 kW.

The official debut of the premium crossover is rumored to take place at the Shanghai Auto Show in April.

The 003 will be manufactured in China alongside the 001 and 009 but designed under the direction of director Stefan Sielaff at a Geely satellite group in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Since both 001 and 009 are based on Geely’s Sustained Experience Architecture (SEA), it’s likely 003 will follow suit.

Last August, Zeekr also announced a five-year strategic partnership with Chinese battery giant CATL to use their Qilin cell-to-pack (CTP) battery technology in upcoming vehicle.

CATP claims that the battery technology improves range, charging speed, safety, efficiency and low-temperature performance, and is capable of providing a range of more than 1000km.

According to reports, Zeekr is moving forward with global expansion file an initial public offering (IPO) in the US at the end of last year.

The brand has also announced that it intends to enter the European market in 2023, a move the brand hopes will double annual sales to 140,000 units.

Though less established than Polestar, another electric-only brand under the Geely umbrella, Zeekr recorded 71,941 sales in 2022, up 1098 percent year-over-year.