The Zeekr 009 minivan attempts to do it all!

As automakers capitalize on China’s new three-child policy, the electric three-row MPV segment in the country is significantly expanding. Zeekr, a new Geely brand on the market, entered the segment not long after releasing its first model, which was the 001 SUV.

Called ‘Zeekr 009,’ the electric minivan, which reached Chinese customers in early 2023, is now available in Europe and other global markets. In March, I got a chance to fully explore the Zeekr 009, and here’s what I think about the three-row electric MPV.

Design

Zeekr designed the 009 at its global design center in Gothenburg, Sweden, with Stefan Sielaff, Geely Auto Group’s Vice President of Global Design, overseeing the project. The company manufactures it in Ningbo, China. I didn’t find any faults or quality concerns in the unit that I examined.

Front

At the front, the Zeekr 009 features a huge, Rolls-Royce-style stately grille with a thick slab of chrome at the top and vertical struts. However, options for less shiny grilles are also available. This grille consists of multi-purpose 154 LED dot-matrix lights. The new electric MPV has edgy split headlamps, consisting of inverted U-shaped DRLs on the top and horizontal main lamps in the middle section of the bumper.

Overall, I think the 009 has a rather busy front fascia. I would’ve liked a more conventional design for the lights and a less imposing look for the grille.

Side

On the sides, in addition to some typical features of minivans, such as sliding rear doors, large windows, and upright D-pillars, the 009 has 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels, C-pillar trim, and standard door handles. The thick chrome strip above the windows strikes me as tacky, although the kick in the beltline before the C-pillar adds a neat touch. While flush-fitted door handles would’ve looked better, I found the traditional ones more convenient.

Rear

At the rear, the electric minivan features an upright tailgate with a huge windscreen, which is the largest in its class, T-shaped combination lamps, a narrow full-width light band right above the combination lamps, and a block-lettered brand logo.

Interior & Features

The Zeekr 009 has a sleek, curvy dashboard featuring an intricate pattern, a 10.25-inch reconfigurable instrument cluster, a large floating touchscreen infotainment system, and neat ambient light stripes. A high-set center console is connected to the dashboard, and there’s a large free storage space below it. Overall, I think it looks modern and elegant.

Zeekr offers the 009 in a 6-seat version and an even more comfort-oriented 4-seat version. This particular model was the 6-seat version, with a 2+2+2 seating layout. Zeekr sells it in ‘WE’ and ‘ME’ variants, and based on the features, I understand that the 009 I saw at the 2024 Bangkok International Motor Show was in the top-end Me variant.

Steering & armrest

The electric MPV features a three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel with a flattened bottom and contrast stitching. I think it’s perfectly sized and chunky enough to feel solid to hold. The floor console is set high and houses an armrest that doubles as a butterfly lid to secure a roomy storage compartment lying underneath.

15.4-inch touchscreen

The center touchscreen is a large 15.4-inch display with a landscape orientation and curved corners. For rear-seat entertainment, a ceiling-mounted 15.6-inch screen offers five pre-set viewing angle adjustments. This, and the center infotainment system, run on Zeekr OS software. The Yamaha premium audio system comprises 6 speakers integrated into the driver’s & middle-row occupants’ headrests and 14 more high-fidelity speakers around the cabin for an immersive surround-sound effect.

Connected car technology comes by means of ‘Mobile App’ remote control, while there’s an in-car app market as well. A high-speed 5G network is also available, with OTA vehicle updates offered by the company.

Sofaro first class seats

The second row features two ‘Sofaro first-class’ seats, upholstered in soft Nappa leather and have up to 12 cm (4.7 in.) of cushioning. They boast electric adjustments, massage options with memory and extra-wide headrests with side bolsters. Further, these seats can be heated or cooled and feature customizable profiles as well.

Retractable leather-lined tray tables are housed within the inner armrests, and the side armrests feature a storage compartment. Additionally, a small touchscreen designed into the sliding doors allows for interaction with the climate control system. I found the individual seats in the second row to be quite comfortable

Sunroof & storage

The Zeekr 009 features a dual-sunroof design that provides an impressive 7.4 square meters (79.6 square feet) of glass real estate, allowing light to flood the cabin for a greater sense of space and airiness. The maximum storage volume of the trunk is 2,979 liters (105.2 cubic feet).

Some of the Zeekr 009’s other features include wireless phone charging, ‘AI Mate intelligent assistant’ with deep learning capabilities, Face ID recognition, 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise control with autonomous emergency braking, Driver Status Monitoring, Lane Change Warning & Lane Keeping Assist, among other safety features.

Specifications

Zeekr claims the 009’s shell consists of the world’s largest single-piece die-casted rear aluminum body. Measuring 1.4 meters in length and 1.6 meters in width, this rear body comes from the world’s largest, 7,200-ton die-casting machine. Single-piece die-casted body makes the vehicle stiffer, which reduces deformations in the event of an impact.

Powertrain

The electric minivan is propelled by two high-performance Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors with a combined output of 400 kW (536 hp) and 686 Nm (506 lb.-ft.) of torque, spinning all four tires using an intelligent four-wheel-drive system. Power for the electric motors comes from either a 116 kWh or 140 kWh ternary lithium-ion battery pack. The larger of these packs offer a maximum range of 822 km (510 mi.), while the smaller unit allows a range of up to 702 km (436 mi.), as per a CLTC combined cycle.

The Zeekr 009 is the world’s first model to integrate batteries with CATL’s third-gen ‘cell-to-pack technology’. The so-called Qilin batteries have the potential to offer a range of over 1,000 km (621 miles), thanks to a high-volume utilization efficiency of 72% and a high energy density of up to 255 Wh/kg.

The Qilin batteries have been developed by CATL for both Li-NMC and LFP cells. The 255 Wh/kg energy density is possible with Li-NMC cells, while the highest possible energy density with LFP cells is 160 Wh/kg. Zeekr hasn’t revealed the 009 MPV’s charging speeds, though CATL claims its new-age batteries can be fast-charged from 10-80% SoC in just 10 minutes!

Aspect	Zeekr 009 Specification (WE)	Zeekr 009 Specification (ME)
Length	5,209 mm (205 in.)	5,209 mm (205 in.)
Width	2,024 mm (79.6 in.)	2,024 mm (79.6 in.)
Height	1,848 mm (72.7 in.)	1,858 mm (73.1 in.)
Wheelbase	3,205 mm (126.1 in.)	3,205 mm (126.1 in.)
Seating Layout	2+2+2	2+2+2
No. of Motors	2	2
Drivetrain Layout	AWD	AWD
Power	400 kW (536 hp)	400 kW (536 hp)
Torque	686 Nm (506 lb.-ft.)	686 Nm (506 lb.-ft.)
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) Acceleration Time	4.5 seconds	4.5 seconds
Battery Pack	116 kWh NCM	140 kWh NCM
CLTC Range	702 km (436 mi.)	822 km (510 mi.)

Price

In China, the base WE variant of the Zeekr 009 electric MPV is priced at CNY 500,000 (USD 68,991), and the top-end ME variant at CNY 588,000 (USD 81,134).

Also Read: First Look Review: VW ID. Buzz heads to U.S. dealers later this year

TopElectricSUV says

In China, the premium MPV market is dominated by foreign carmakers, with Buicks, Toyotas, Hondas, VWs, and even Mercedes models competing relentlessly with local players. However, with the emergence of the new energy vehicle segment, Chinese brands have stayed ahead of the curve with vans like the Voyah Dreamer, Denza D9, Maxus MIFA 9, and the Hongqi HM9 grabbing the limelight. For Zeekr, the launch of the 009 presents another opportunity to not just improve sales, but also its brand appeal.

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