ZEEKR confirms third EV is called X, not 003, as it shares first look

Following leaked images that were later confirmed by ZEEKR to be its upcoming third EV model, the Chinese automaker has relayed that the new SUV will be called the ZEEKR X, not the ZEEKR 003 as originally speculated. The company also shared first official images of the EV today, ahead of its full debut expected in April. Have a look.

As an EV automaker founded in 2021, ZEEKR has found early success in China and has even bigger goals for 2023, according to an internal letter recently send out by company CEO Andy An. Earlier this week, we outlined An’s five tasks for ZEEKR this year which include a doubling of EV sales, and a successful expansion into European markets.

Another key task ZEEKR looks to accomplish in 2023 is the launch of two additional all-electric models. The automaker kicked off its first sales in China with the ZEEKR 001 sedan, which was followed by the 009 MPV which officially kicked off production in Ningbo, Zhejiang last month.

CnEVPost was able to obtain images of a camouflaged EV codenamed BX1E, leading the outlet to speculate that this was ZEEKR’s third model and that it would be called the 003. Senior vice president of ZEEKR’s parent company Geely, Yang Xueliang, took to Weibo shortly thereafter to confirm the images were in fact ZEEKR’s third model, but that it will not necessarily be named the 003.

Today, ZEEKR has followed up again on social media, sharing images of its new EV without camo, expressing that the SUV will in fact not be called the 003, but the ZEEKR X.

Although it teased the new SUV in a poster emphasizing the number 3 on Weibo earlier this week, ZEEKR has confirmed it will be actually called the X instead. The Weibo post explains that many classic models have been named after the number 3, but ZEEKR will not continue that trend.

The automaker explained that its new SUV model “transcends the limitations of all previous classic models named after 3, where X stands for infinite exploration, endless imagination, and endless transcendence.” Can you think of another popular EV model in China that’s called the 3? It’s on the tip of my tongue.

ZEEKR hasn’t shared many details of the X SUV yet, other than it is expected to accelerate 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in under four seconds. Additionally, its dimensions are 4,450 mm long, 1,836 mm wide, and 1,572 mm high with a wheelbase of 2,750 mm. By comparison, the ZEEKR X will be shorter, narrower, and slightly taller than the 001 sedan, along with a shorter wheelbase.

This is interesting considering it’s an SUV, so it definitely appears to be more of a compact, especially when you look at the original camouflaged images. The ZEEKR X is expected to be built atop Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) EV platform alongside the upcoming smart #1 EV which shares very similar measurements.

A source familiar with the matter recently told CnEVPost that the ZEEKR X is not expected to be built at the automaker’s Ningbo facility, but at one of Geely’s plants in Chengdu, Sichuan province instead. The full reveal of the ZEEKR X is expected to happen at the Shanghai Auto Show this coming April.