Zeekr, one of the fastest-growing electric car makers in the world, has announced that it plans to build a Zeekr-branded charging network globally, starting with Australia as one of its key initial markets.
After attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the company revealed that it plans to roll out thousands of Zeekr charging stations across many markets, highlighting Australia and Thailand as those the company was particularly interested in exploring.
Zeekr currently operates the largest ultra-fast charging network in China, with over 800 ultra-fast charging stations nationwide.
That’s to support vehicles with both 400 and 800 Volt architectures. Many of Zeekr’s models are now equipped with 800 Volt architectures, with Australia likely to see it in the brand’s upcoming premium models like the highly anticipated Zeekr 7X SUV.
The 7X is expected to land locally in the second half of the year, just after it arrives in Europe, where it can be ordered today for deliveries during European summer.
Looking back at the CES show, Zeekr also shared details of the Zeekr RT, a practical mass-produced autonomous vehicle that the leading autonomous vehicle giant, Waymo, will receive from the brand.
Initially, Waymo will be testing the Zeekr RT in preparation for future public robotaxi launches across the US.
The Zeekr RT has already been spotted testing in the US, which hints that the testing program will likely be expanded before full operation.
This autonomous vehicle is also based on Zeekr’s road version of the EV, which the brand has recently started delivering to customers in China.
That vehicle is called the Zeekr Mix, which was also on display at CES and on a recent trip to China, I got to experience it for myself. It combines elements of practicality and lifestyle, all in a compact package.
The design allows for seamless manoeuvrability in city streets, evident in the car’s turning radius of under 5 metres, which I tested at Ningbo International Speedway in December.
With that experience, we can see how the RT model would work well to deliver autonomous rides for passengers shortly.
With multiple new models on the way and the brand’s expansion in Australia and other international markets, it’s positive to see plans for a fast-charging network locally.
Aside from Tesla, Zeekr will be the first car maker to offer a fast charging network in Australia, which is much needed given the growth in EV adoption in recent years.
More details on the network and Zeekr’s fast-charging network will likely be released in the coming months, making it an exciting period for Australia’s growing fast-charging landscape in 2025.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.