Chinese brand Zeekr has only just launched its Tesla Model Y rival in Australia, but it has already given it a longer range, faster charging and new styling it back at home.
Electric Cars
Zeekr has revealed a mid-life upgrade for the 2026 Zeekr 7X electric mid-size SUV in China – with faster charging, more power and longer driving ranges – days after the first deliveries of the original version in Australia.
The facelifted 7X arrives just over 12 months after the Tesla Model Y competitor launched in China as Zeekr's second SUV, and introduces mild styling changes to set the upgraded underpinnings apart.
Zeekr Australia has been contacted for comment on local plans for the update, but given the pre-facelift model only just arrived, the revised version may be at least 12 months away.
The 7X's electric motor and electrical systems now run at 900 volts, up from 800 volts, as does the new 103kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack in long-range models, replacing a 100kWh, 800-volt pack.
It is capable of fast charging from 10 to 80 per cent in a claimed 10 minutes, down from 15 minutes, though Zeekr does not state if its peak DC charging power has increased beyond its current 420kW cap.
Unchanged is the 75kWh, 800-volt lithium iron phosphate battery pack in the entry-level rear-wheel-drive (RWD) 7X, which is rated at up to 450kW, for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in a claimed 10.5 minutes.
Driving ranges in Chinese CLTC lab testing have increased for 2026, now rated at 620km in the 75kWh RWD (up from 605km), 802km in the 103kWh RWD (up from 780km), and 715km in the 103kWh AWD (up from 705km).
Electric motor power has also increased, from 310kW to 370kW in rear-wheel-drive grades, and from 475kW to 585kW in the all-wheel-drive flagship.
Zeekr claims zero to 100km/h acceleration times of 5.4 seconds for the entry RWD, 5.1sec for the long-range RWD, and 2.98sec for the AWD, with the vehicle's first foot (30.5cm) of movement subtracted, a practice derived from drag racing.
The times compare to 5.8sec, 5.7sec, and 3.8sec for the previous model in China.
Further changes for 2026 include the fitment of the Geely group's latest G-Pilot H7 driver-assistance suite, based on 31 sensors around the vehicle, including a lidar sensor on the roof that was seen in the 2025 7X.
It is powered by a Nvidia Drive Thor-U chipset, claimed to deliver 700 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second), a measure of computing power.
More noticeable is the restyled front bumper with new air inlets below the headlights for a sportier appearance.
Inside, the 16-inch infotainment touchscreen and 13-inch instrument display remain, as does the layout and presentation of the cabin.
The Zeekr China spec sheet lists power-operated legrests for the rear outboard seats, and fold-down tables on the front seatbacks, which are thought to be new, and are not currently offered on Australian models.
The 2026 Zeekr 7X is available for pre-order now in China, with prices to be confirmed once it formally goes on sale on Tuesday, October 28.
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
