EVs in every flavour

Expect to see some of them in Singapore soon

- Jonathan Ng

"Huge" is how I would describe the Auto Shanghai motor show. It is being held at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, China, until May 2.

The indoor exhibition area measures 360,000 sq m - about three times the size of Singapore's biggest exhibition venue, Singapore Expo and features almost 1,000 -exhibitors. Over 100 of them are car brands, of which more than 65 are Chinese.

Not all models will be sold beyond China, but it is interesting to see how local and foreign companies are looking to the country as a place to experiment and innovate.

Here are some cars - all electric vehicles (EVs) that caught my eye on the opening day.

ZEEKR 9X

The launch of this behemoth draws massive crowds. The 9X is Zeekr's flagship, ultra-luxurious large sport utility vehicle (SUV), comparable to the Rolls-Royce Cullinanin in size and styling. The five-door, three-row SUV rides on adjustable air suspension, which should give an extremely plush ride, similar to the 009, which also comes with air suspension.

The 9X is Zeekr's first hybrid model that includes a 275hp 2-litre engine and boasts a 0-100kmh time of three seconds.

The car is slated for global launch in the third quarter of 2025. Zeekr says it will also start operating its ultra-fast chargers, which can hit 1.3 megawatts of power, by then.

The Zeekr 9X is big and fast, taking three seconds to get from 0 to 100kmh. PHOTOS: JONATHAN NG

FIREFLY

Independent Chinese EV brand Nio launched its Firefly sub-brand with this cute hatchback.

Slightly longer than a Mini Cooper hatchback, the car seats five persons and has a 105kW motor that gets it from 0-100kmh in 8.2 seconds.