Zeekr recently held a technical showcase for its new model， the Zeekr 9X. The presentation began with bold comparisons， positioning the 9X against luxury stalwarts like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan， Porsche Cayenne， and Land Rover. In its promotional materials， Zeekr even depicted the 9X as outperforming Porsche and Ferrari. This aggressive posturing naturally set high expectations for what Zeekr was about to unveil.
However， after witnessing the entire event， particularly the reveal of the interior， there was a sense of anticlimax. While the 9X is certainly not lacking in features， the initial aggressive marketing， targeting the ultra-luxury segment， may have created a disconnect. The vehicle， touted as the “Cullinan of Hangzhou Bay” and a competitor to marques costing upwards of 7 million， was eventually positioned against vehicles like the AITO M9， which is marketed as the “best SUV under 10 million.” This shift in competitive focus felt like a case of reverse expectation management.
Current market speculation suggests the Zeekr 9X will likely not reach the million-yuan mark， with estimates starting around 600，000 yuan. Given Zeekr’s pricing strategies and market positioning， a starting price in the mid-500，000 yuan range， akin to a larger Lynk & Co 900， appears more probable. This pricing would strategically position it as a luxurious option comparable to the Range Rover in terms of economic value， rather than directly challenging the Cullinan.
Despite the initial marketing dissonance， the Zeekr 9X does present several impressive technological advancements that warrant discussion.
From a positioning perspective， the 9X shares a similar ethos with the Zeekr 009， aiming to cater to a dual-purpose market that demands both executive comfort and family utility， coupled with robust performance. Its exterior design， while not fully revealed with all specifics and parameters awaiting the official launch， is often described as narrowly missing a distinguished hood ornament， hinting at an imposing presence.
The core technological revelation was the “Seaweed-S” architecture， a hybridized version of Zeekr’s established “Seaweed” platform. Zeekr claims this is the world’s first luxury hybrid-exclusive architecture built upon a dedicated electric platform， boasting significant advantages in its hybrid system， chassis， intelligent driving， and safety.
The hybrid system is particularly noteworthy. The 9X utilizes a substantial 70 kWh 6C battery pack， offering a CLTC pure electric range of 380 km， a figure that stands out even among dedicated electric vehicles. Furthermore， its full 900V high-voltage architecture enables a rapid 20%-80% charge in just 9 minutes， setting a new benchmark for hybrid vehicles.
In terms of performance， the 9X adopts a P1+P3+P4 hybrid layout. The tri-motor configuration boasts an astounding total output of 1030 kW (approximately 1400 horsepower)， achieved through a front 290 kW motor and dual rear motors each producing 370 kW. This power output approaches that of some hypercars. Even the integrated 2.0T engine， functioning as a range extender with 205 kW， contributes to the impressive powertrain. The smaller generator motor also outputs 145 kW. This potent combination results in a breathtaking 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 3.1 seconds.
It’s likely that this “megawatt electric drive” tri-motor version will be a top-tier， brand-building variant. The volume-selling models are expected to be the dual-motor variants， with a reduced combined output of 660 kW. Nevertheless， this power level still positions the 9X competitively within its segment.
Transitioning to ride and handling， the 9X features an “AI Digital Chassis.” The suspension system includes dual-chamber closed-loop air suspension and dual-valve adaptive variable damping (CCD) shock absorbers. The dual-chamber design allows for independent adjustment of the air spring’s firmness， while the closed-loop system enables faster height adjustments – a 30mm change in just 7 seconds， compared to the 35 seconds typical for open-loop systems.
Another significant feature is the 48V active anti-roll bar. While not a full active suspension， this active stabilizer bar provides a degree of active control. Its function is to counteract body roll during cornering and maintain stability. Unlike passive stabilizers， which rely on their own torsional resistance， active stabilizers allow for more precise and dynamic adjustments. This technology is also seen in performance vehicles like the Lotus ELETRE， indicating Zeekr is leveraging cutting-edge chassis technology. The benefits of this AI Digital Chassis include enhanced handling stability and reduced body roll， as demonstrated by its ability to maintain composure in situations where competitors might struggle.
In terms of safety， the 9X can actively adjust its ride height during lateral impacts to minimize intrusion. It also boasts impressive wind resistance capabilities， designed to withstand winds up to level 10， which is crucial for driving in severe weather conditions， especially on elevated bridges.
Zeekr also showcased the 9X’s ability to handle extreme off-road conditions， citing its traversal of difficult terrain. This suggests a broader capability set than initially perceived.
Regarding its intelligent driving system， the 9X is expected to feature Zeekr’s “Chili Sea Vast” intelligent driving suite， likely the H9 version for higher trims， offering L3-level autonomous driving capabilities. Key hardware upgrades include five lidar sensors， an improvement over competitors， with an additional solid-state lidar enhancing forward vision and reducing blind spots. The main lidar is a 520-line long-range unit， offering higher resolution for improved perception.
In terms of processing power， the 9X integrates dual NVIDIA Thor-U chips， delivering a combined 1400 TOPS of compute power， surpassing the 1016 TOPS of four Orin-X chips. However， it still trails behind some competitors like the XPeng G7’s 3 Turing chips with 2000 TOPS. Ultimately， the effectiveness of the intelligent driving system will depend heavily on its algorithms.
The “Chili Sea Vast H9” system’s differentiation lies in its dual end-to-end large model architecture. This includes a foundational large model and a world model on the cloud， complemented by a VLA general large model and an end-to-end adversarial safety model on the vehicle. This approach aims to address the limitations of standalone end-to-end models by incorporating more robust and versatile AI capabilities.
While the exact implementation and performance are yet to be seen， with a projected rollout in the fourth quarter， Zeekr’s system appears to be at the forefront of intelligent driving technology. The integration of multiple sophisticated AI models signifies a forward-thinking approach to autonomous driving development.
On the safety front， the 9X features a body structure composed of 91% high-strength steel and aluminum alloy， achieving a torsional rigidity of 41600 Nm/deg. Zeekr has also developed its own stringent in-house safety testing standards， exceeding industry norms in collision impact speeds.
Zeekr’s commitment to passive safety is commendable and well-regarded.
In summary， the Zeekr 9X boasts impressive specifications and technological features. If priced competitively in the 500，000 yuan range， it could offer significant value. However， for consumers seeking the ultimate in luxury refinement， the 9X’s interior design， when revealed， was perceived by some as somewhat understated， lacking the opulence expected for a vehicle with aspirational luxury positioning. While it offers immense power and advanced technology， the interior’s “simple and unadorned” aesthetic might not fully align with the ultra-luxury perception.
Key interior design elements highlighted were its 6-seat configuration， zero-gravity seats， headrest audio system， a single central screen， and the integration of Naim audio， also found in Bentley models. However， without further details， these observations are preliminary. The true appeal and market reception will ultimately hinge on the final pricing and more comprehensive showcasing of the interior design at the official launch event.
It’s noteworthy that within two hours of the announcement， 10，000 people had joined the Zeekr 9X’s priority access program， indicating strong consumer interest and confidence in the vehicle’s potential. Whether the 9X will be lauded or criticized will largely depend on its final market positioning and price point.
