Zeekr EV Brand to Arrive Under Sentinel Automotive in Malaysia

It appears that the Zeekr EV brand is set to arrive in Malaysia under a mysterious entity named Sentinel Automotive Sdn. Bhd.

In case you missed it, Chinese automaker Zeekr is poised to make its Malaysian landfall this year, with the Geely-owned EV marque recently holding a preview event for business partners and potential investors in Kuala Lumpur last week.

While it was initially touted that PRO-NET would handle the brand, since it currently operates smart EV brands locally, it appears that Zeekr has a different local partner for its venture into the Malaysian automotive market.

As revealed by CarNewsChina, Zeekr recently signed a cooperation agreement with Sentinel Automotive Sdn Bhd ahead of its official market entry in Malaysia. This revelation has debunked our previous intel from industry insiders that cited Sime Darby Group as the entity that brought Zeekr into Malaysia.

Truth be told, we’re far from familiar with the Sentinel Automotive name, but fortunately, a quick search on the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) database has helped us identify this mysterious entity behind Zeekr’s introduction into our market.

SSM report on the Sentinel Automotive Sdn Bhd reveals that the firm was founded by Lotus Karz's Mohammed Reza Abdul Mutalib. (Photo credit: SoyaCincau)

As pointed out by SoyaCincau, it seems that Sentinel Automotive Sdn Bhd is wholly-owned by Karrus Automotive. If that name still doesn't ring a bell to you, Karrus Automotive was founded by Mohammed Reza Abdul Mutalib, who is also the founder of Lotus Karz – the official importer and distributor of Lotus cars in Malaysia.

Lotus Kars founder Mohammed Reza Abdul Mutalib (left) seen at the launch of the Lotus Eletre last year

This makes perfect sense, simply because, just like Zeekr, Lotus is also a premium sub-brand owned by Geely that focuses on EVs. With PRO-NET getting busy with both the smart EV brand and the upcoming EV model from Proton, it is somewhat understandable for Geely to let other entities handle the Zeekr brand for our market.

Reports from CarNewsChina further revealed that Zeekr will introduce two of its EV offerings for right-hand drive (RHD) markets like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, with those models being the Zeekr X EV crossover and the Zeekr 009 EV MPV.

Zeekr 009 EV SUV crossover

Starting with the former, the Zeekr X is essentially a Zeekr-badged twin of the smart #1, as it underpins the same Geely SEA platform as the aforementioned model. For the Chinese market, this EV SUV is offered with both single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD powertrain options rated at up to 469 HP (350 kW), plus a maximum EV range of 560 KM courtesy of its sizable 66-kWh NMC battery pack.

Zeekr 009 luxury EV MPV

Meanwhile, the Zeekr 009 EV MPV also underpins Geely’s SEA platform. Serving as the basis for the Volvo EM90, the 009 is powered by a dual-motor AWD setup rated at 536 HP (400 kW), which is juiced by either a 116-kWh or 140-kWh battery pack supplied by CATL for a decent maximum CLTC range of up to 822 KM.

Both Zeekr and Sentinel Automotive are reportedly preparing for the arrival of both of these models, with CarNewsChina further reporting that the two firms will open the first Zeekr Malaysia outlet in Kuala Lumpur, followed by other major areas like Selangor and Penang later this year. With both the RHD version of the Zeekr X and 009 set to commence deliveries in Q3 this year, we can expect the Zeekr brand to make its official market entry by then.