Zeekr says it is "accelerating" deliveries of its Tesla Model Y competitor in Australia – and has indirectly placed a timeline on its first update, akin to a battery boost shown in China.
Electric Cars
A facelift revealed for the 2026 Zeekr 7X electric SUV in China may not reach Australian showrooms until the middle of 2027 – or even later.
The Chinese car maker assured customers of the current 7X in a media statement today that it would not launch any model-year updates to the Tesla Model Y competitor in Australia for "at least" 12 to 18 months.
In doing so, it has given a timeline to customers keen to wait for an updated model akin to the Chinese-market 7X update launched last month, with a longer range, faster charging, tweaked styling, and new features.
"Following the strong customer response to the 7X, we recognise the importance of maintaining confidence in our brand for the long term," Frank Li, Zeekr Australia managing director and Zeekr International vice president, said in a media release announcing a new Zeekr 009 variant.
"We value the trust our customers have placed in us, and our commitment to those awaiting their 7X delivery is clear: Australia remains a priority market, and we are accelerating deliveries.
"For prospective customers, we guarantee no model year changes for at least the next 12-18 months – meaning you can purchase with complete confidence knowing you're getting the latest specification."
It is common for updated versions of cars from Chinese manufacturers to take 12 to 18 months to roll out to international markets, especially right-hand-drive regions.
Leading the updates in Zeekr's home market is a move to a 900-volt electrical system for the electric motors, as well as the new 103kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack in long-range models, replacing a 100kWh, 800-volt unit.
It claims a 10-minute 10 to 80 per cent fast charge, down from 15 minutes.
The entry-level 75kWh, 800-volt lithium iron phosphate battery pack is unchanged, rated at DC charging of up to 450kW, for a 10 to 80 per cent boost-up in a claimed 10.5 minutes.
Driving range ratings based on Chinese CLTC have increased to 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).
More power is also on offer, with the rear electric motor in two-wheel-drive variants now developing 370kW, up from 310kW, while all-wheel-drive versions now quote 585kW from dual motors, up from 475kW.
The results are claimed zero to 100km/h acceleration times of 5.4 seconds (down from 5.8sec) for the entry RWD, 5.1sec (vs 5.1sec) for the long-range RWD, and 2.98sec (vs 3.8sec) for the AWD.
The new claim for the all-wheel-drive 7X subtracts the vehicle's first foot (30.5cm) of movement in the acceleration sprint, a practice derived from drag racing.
Styling changes include a revised front bumper with new air inlets below the headlights.
Inside, there are power-operated legrests for the rear outboard seats, an entertainment screen in the fold-down centre armrest, and fold-down tables on the front seatbacks.
Also new is the fitment of the Geely group's latest G-Pilot H7 driver-assistance suite, which makes decisions based on 31 sensors around the vehicle, including a familiar lidar sensor on the roof.
It is driven by a high-end Nvidia Drive Thor-U chipset, claimed to deliver 700 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second) – a measure of computing power.
Orders for the 2026 Zeekr 7X in China are now open, while deliveries of the export-market model are underway in Australia.
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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
