Zeekr 7X: Only nine minutes to go
Noch ist die chinesische Marke Zeekr bei uns kaum bekannt – das soll sich aber schon bald ändern. Die Elektromarke hebt sich vor allem durch ultra-schnelles Laden von der Konkurrenz ab.
Chinese car manufacturers traditionally have a hard time on the Swiss market, as customers do not yet trust them. However, this is especially true when they are obviously recognizable as Chinese brands. Volvo, Polestar, Smart, Lotus - they all belong to the Chinese Geely Group and even if the sales figures of all these brands are not exactly outstanding, at least they do not have an image problem. Now, before the end of this year, Geely wants to launch a "real" Chinese brand in Switzerland. With Zeekr and the 7X. And thus in the highly competitive segment of electric compact SUVs of all things.
How do you want to stand out from the competition?
Firstly, there is the drive system. It is no longer a secret that the Chinese are ahead of the pack when it comes to electric cars. In the basic "Core" configuration, the 7X comes with rear-wheel drive and an output of 310 kW/416 hp. In the top-of-the-range "Privilege" version with all-wheel drive, the power output is 470 kW/630 hp, which means that 0 to 100 km/h is possible in 3.8 seconds. The battery capacity of 75 or 100 kWh is in the upper mid-range, but it is the charging performance that is particularly striking. Thanks to 800 volts, charging from 10 to 80 percent takes just 13 minutes. "Under optimum conditions, we have already achieved nine minutes," promises product manager Alessandro Massimino.
Of course, this still requires a corresponding charging station, which must deliver at least 400 kW. These are currently still somewhat thin on the ground. The range is also not exactly outstanding at 480 kilometers with the small battery and 615 kilometers with the large battery. However, if it can be recharged in less than a quarter of an hour, then it is absolutely suitable for everyday use, even for longer journeys.
The first impression is that there is nothing to complain about in terms of workmanship and material quality. The operation of the infotainment system is a little less intuitive in places for those "used to Europe". The fact that there are two different navigation systems in our test car - one is the basic version, the other an experimental, more comprehensive version - does not make things any clearer. However, the company is constantly developing and incorporating customer feedback. Improvements can be suggested via an app, the engineers incorporate these into further development and then roll out changes via over-the-air updates. Much of this takes place in Europe, at the development and design center in Gothenburg, Sweden.
There is nothing wrong with the handling, the optional adaptive suspension is relatively firm and does its job well. Here, too, you can feel that the team in Gothenburg had a decisive say in the chassis development. This is not meant to be derogatory, the needs of the Europeans are quite simply different to those of the Chinese. This also applies to the topics of crash safety, cybersecurity and data protection, where the Europeans should also be in charge of those vehicles destined for the European market.
First and foremost, Zeekr also sees itself as a "tech company" that develops software. In China, where the regulatory requirements are significantly lower than in Europe, the cars are already supposed to navigate independently through parking garages and underground garages and find parking spaces and charging stations, while also avoiding obstacles and people. In this country, it will be a while before this is approved. Which is perhaps not such a bad thing, as the 7X still had a bit of trouble parking independently in the test, standing at an angle in the parking lot even after the third attempt.
However, such systems will hardly be a selling point for customers anyway, so the biggest argument in the end is still the price. This has not yet been officially announced for Switzerland, but is likely to be in the region of 52,000 to 65,000 francs, depending on the equipment. Zeekr also has confidence in the fact that the vehicles are worth their price and are guaranteed for ten years and 200,000 kilometers - including on the battery.
