Dressed To The 009s

I HATE TO BEGIN with politics for an article about a car I've had an absolute pleasure driving, but China's EV manufacturers have capitulated on American President Donald Trump's tariffs and anti-environmental posturing, pushing aggressively into Southeast Asia, Latin American and European markets.

- SUFFIAN HAKIM

Zeekr, in particular, has shown steady growth.

In the first half of 2025, Zeekr Group has delivered 244,877 vehicles, a 14.5 per cent growth compared to the same period last year. The brand delivered 74,038 vehicles from January to May, up 9.26 per cent year-on-year.

A huge part of its growth can be attributed to its manufacturing approach: luxury and performance in equal measure, with innovation driving both. A great example of its innovation is Zeekr’s Golden Battery, found in the Zeekr 007 (entry-level version) sedan and the Zeekr 7X SUV. The Golden Battery is an industry leader in ultrafast-charging, safety and performance even in extreme temperatures, and has a unique architecture, facilitated by its use of prismatic cells, that allows it to be extremely compact and efficient.

I recently drove the Zeekr 009, and while it is not yet fitted with the Golden Battery, it still bears all the hallmarks of a Zeekr EV. I want to get into the specs first because honestly it is the secondary experience here.