Zeekr slashes charging times again with its latest EV, shaped as a “shooting brake”

Zeekr is one of the world’s most rapidly expanding EV brands, and last year launched into the Australian market, starting with two EVs, the 400 V Zeekr X and Zeekr 009. 

This was followed by the launch of the 7X,  dubbed Australia’s fastest charging EV because of its 800 V charging architecture, and which is about to start deliveries after receiving well over 2,000 pre-orders. That car is able to get from 10-80% in just 12 minutes, setting a new benchmark for fast-charging EVs in the market.

The brand has now unveiled in China its next-gen EV tech, with the upcoming Zeekr 001 “shooting brake” – to describe the body shape – which is equipped with 900 V EV architecture, slashing one variant’s charging speeds of 10-80% to just 7 minutes.

The variant, which carryies the “Golden Brick” 95 kWh battery developed by Zeekr, has charging speeds of up to 1,140 kW at the right DC charger, which will support these blistering fast charging times. 

In China,  Zeekr has multiple 1,300 kWcharging station sites, and Zeekr is expected to roll these out into global markets in the coming years.

On the company’s Weibo page, the company released feature details for its upcoming refreshed 001 model. 

There is an RWD variant with a 370 kW rear-mounted electric motor that is paired with a 103 kWh CATL-supplied battery pack. 

This pack can be charged from 10-80% in 10 minutes while the powertrain can help accelerate this variant from 0-100 km/h in under 5 seconds.

The AWD variant adds another motor to the front, with a combined power output of 680 kW. This setup can be paired with the same battery pack as the RWD or the special Golden Brick battery with a 95 kWh Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LFP) capacity.

This setup shaves the 0-100 km/h sprint time to under 2.9 seconds, and a top speed of 280 km/h is achievable.

On the inside, there is now a large upgraded 16-inch central screen with higher resolution, rated at 3.5 K. On top of that, there is a 13-inch screen behind the steering wheel.

Still in the front, there is also a large 39-inch heads-up display (HUD) along with a surround sound system with 29 speakers.

As with most Zeekr premium models, there are multiple choices for synthetic and Nappa leather seating materials for a plush, luxury feel, especially in this 4.98 metre long shooting brake.

With the latest charging tech being featured in the Zeekr 001, it’s likely we will be seeing it in more future models, including some that would be heading to global markets as the company doubles down on its international expansion plans.

For now, though, the Zeekr 7X will remain Australia’s fastest charging EV, and with thousands of eagerly awaiting customers for this highly anticipated model, it’s going to be quite fascinating to see the company’s growth locally, as it heads into its second year in our market.