Zeekr 009 spotted again in Malaysia before launch – luxury electric MPV seen with local number plate

The Zeekr 009 has been spotted in Malaysia again, this time by Yh Liew who posted a photo of the fully electric MPV in the paultan.org Automotive/Car Discussion Group on Facebook. Unlike the unit that was also sighted this month, this example (looks to be parked in Sunway Pyramid) is in a different colour and wearing proper local number plates instead of trade plates.

As with the earlier sighting, this 009 doesn’t appear to have a shark fin antenna, suggesting it to be the updated model that we saw in Hong Kong in July. Also similar are the Star’ wheels, which are available in either 19- or 20-inch sizes.

Local specifications are still unknown for now but the 009 destined to go on sale here is expected to mirror what is offered in Hong Kong, which is the first market to get the latest version of the MPV in right-hand drive guise.

In Hong Kong, the 009 features a 400V architecture as well as a 116-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery for up to 582 km of range following the WLTP standard. The battery powers two electric motors – one for each axle – that provide a total system output of 612 PS (603 hp or 450 kW) and 693 Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds and top speed of 230 km/h. Priced from HKD755,000 (about RM430k) there, the 009 is available in six- and seven-seat configurations.

Things are a little different in Zeekr’s home market of China, where the 009 gets an 800V architecture as standard. There’s also the option of a new front-wheel drive variant rated at 421 PS (416 hp or 310 kW) and 440 Nm that sees a slower century sprint time of 6.9 seconds. This variant offers 740 km of range following the highly generous CLTC standard with its 108-kWh NMC battery.

Meanwhile, the dual-motor variant in China is more powerful with outputs of 789 PS (778 hp or 580 kW) and 810 Nm to match the four-seat 009 Grand introduced earlier this year. The electric motors also draw power from a 108-kWh NMC battery but range is down to 702 km (CLTC).

Both variants support 5C charging (the “C” indicates how many times a battery can be charged in one hour), and when plugged into an appropriate DC fast charger, a 10-80% state of charge is reached in just 11.5 minutes.

As an option, Chinese customers can purchase a 140-kWh battery that sees a switch to a 400V architecture and reduced motor outputs: 340 PS (335 hp or 250 kW) for the FWD and 612 PS (603 hp or 450 kW) for the AWD. However, range improves to up to 900 km for the FWD and 850 km for the AWD. All versions of the 009 come with CCD electromagnetic damping and air suspension, with pricing in China ranging from 439,000 to 469,000 yuan (about RM271k and RM290k).

Zeekr has made it clear that the 009’s target is the popular Toyota Alphard/Vellfire – the company even showed videos comparing its MPV against Toyota’s during the launch event in Hong Kong. Currently, the Alphard sells for RM538,000, while the Vellfire goes for RM438,000. How much should the 009 be to sway customers away from Toyota’s premium MPVs? We’ll get a price tag this year when the 009 is launched alongside the X.

GALLERY: 2024 Zeekr 009 RHD

GALLERY: 2024 Zeekr 009 official photos

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