Geely unveils new Zeekr brand for electric car 001

Geely, the Chinese owner of Volvo Cars, has officially launched the Zeekr brand, an all-electric premium automaker that aims to bring new young buyers into the EV space.The brand got its name by combining the letter Z (for Gen Z) and the word "geek."No, we didn't make up.

"Generation Z is the new consumer force, born in the mid-'90s to early 2010s, and they have grown up in an increasingly digital world," the company said. These buyers "have new ideas...and want a home that covers them, A unified digital experience for offices and cars. They also see electrification as the norm, not an alternative.”Geelydefines “geek” as “a term for those who are tech-savvy and have extensive technical knowledge, which further fits the The technology focus of the brand.”

Geelyexplained that theZeekrbrand was created in response to buyers who didn't like the "outdated, broken models" that have long defined the new car buying experience, which Geely believes has pushed automakers to focus solely on mobile hardware.Anything that happens after the first sale is "neither here nor there."Zeekr"will put software at the forefront to continually add services" to keep its vehicles "up-to-date and competitive."Zeekrvehicles will be sold online starting in China and through "experience centers," with plans to expand to Europe and North America.

It will be the first EV 001 based on Geely's SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform, targeting these young, affluent buyers.Like the Lynk & Co. Zero, which looks similar to the Zeekr 001, which promises to be the first car based on the SEA platform, the 001 will have dual electric motors and enough battery capacity to provide over 400 miles of range on a single charge.001 will be able to do 0-60 in 4 seconds.

Future EVs from other Geely brands, including Volvo and Polestar, may also use the SEA platform.

Parent companies Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and Geely Auto said last month they would jointly invest 2 billion yuan ($306 million) in the new company as they seek to position Zeekr as a start-up under Geely Group, which also It is known overseas for its 9.7% stake in Germany's Daimler AG.

Zeekr cars will be priced at around 300,000 yuan (about $46,000 at current exchange rates), and Zeekr vice president Flynn Chen said the brand will explore new sales and marketing methods, including allowing customers to subscribe to and purchase cars from provide company shares.