Zeekr X Previewed To Business Partners In Malaysia, Launch & Delivery In 2024?

After months of conjecture, we finally received confirmation yesterday that Geely-owned Zeekr brand would be setting foot in Malaysia.

This was made possible by a widely shared invitation to business partners to witness the Zeekr X SUV for the first time at the Grand Hyatt KL. The invitation further indicated that invitees should dress professionally (confirming not a media launch), and that representatives from Zeekr, most likely from the headquarters, would be present to offer information about the firm, its products, and ambitions for Malaysia.

We’ve previously reported that, Zeekr, a premium brand within the Geely group, has already begun operations in neighbouring Singapore and Thailand.  Order books in both are now open, and vehicle deliveries are set to begin in the third quarter of this year.

Additionally based on information published by CNetPost.com several days back, production to fill orders in the right hand drive (RHD) market has begun, with cars already rolling off the assembly line.

Right Hand Drive Zeekr X has started rolling out of the assembly line.

Putting this information together, we can pretty much guarantee that Zeekr will be opening order books in Malaysia soon, with delivery taking place around the same time or later this year, following Singapore and Thailand. The product offering would likewise be similar to our neighbours, with the volume seller Zeekr X coming first, followed by the Zeekr 009.

YB Tengku Zafrul during his visit the Geely's Zeekr facility in China last year

According to information acquired from industry insiders, Sime Darby Group will most likely represent the Zeekr brand in Malaysia, rather than PRO-NET, as previously assumed. Sime Darby Group also represents the BYD brand in Malaysia, where the BYD Atto 3 leads EV sales in the country.

As a refresher, the Zeekr X is a subcompact B-segment EV crossover SUV built on the same SEA platform as the smart #1. In China, it is available in both single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD variants, powered by the same 66-kWh NMC battery pack with 22kW AC and 150 kW DC charging capability as the smart #1.

The Zeekr 009 EV MPV will also be built on the SEA platform and will be very similar to the Volvo EM90 of which it is based from. The 009 in China has a dual-motor AWD setup with a power rating of 536 HP (400 kW), powered by either a 116-kWh or 140-kWh battery pack supplied by CATL, offering a maximum CLTC range of up to 822 KM.