SHANGHAI, August 10 (Reuters) – Zeekr, the electric vehicle (EV) brand under Geely Automobile (0175.HK) based in China, announced on Thursday its forthcoming launch of a luxury sports car with a price tag exceeding 1 million yuan ($140,000).
An insider familiar with the situation disclosed that Zeekr is set to unveil the Zeekr 001 FR sports car in the coming weeks, with plans to commence deliveries of the initial batch later this year.
Amidst a fierce price competition ignited by Tesla earlier this year, Chinese EV manufacturers have intensified their endeavors to create more cost-effective offerings. In parallel, several companies are venturing into the realm of high-performance EVs at the upper echelon of the market to secure greater profit margins.
In January, BYD introduced an electric off-road SUV as the inaugural model for its luxury brand Yangwang, with a starting price of 1.098 million yuan.
Zeekr, established in 2021 as a premium EV brand, currently boasts a product lineup featuring three models. These vehicles are priced between 189,800 yuan and 499,000 yuan.
(Note: Conversion rate used: $1 = 7.2116 Chinese yuan renminbi)