While Europe wavers on the electric transition in the automotive sector, postponing the ban on combustion engines set for 2035, Zeekr, a new brand within the Geely galaxy, is enriching the offer of electric mobility by officially announcing its entry into the Italian market, once again in partnership with Jameel Motors Italia.

But let's take it step by step. Zeekr is not just another Chinese brand banking solely on price. The company was founded in 2021 as a premium brand within the Geely Group – the same group that controls Volvo and Polestar – and from the outset adopted a clear strategy: European design (the design centre is in Gothenburg, Sweden), proprietary technology, and a fully electric line-up. In just over three years, it has delivered more than 700,000 vehicles worldwide.

The Italian bet: 4 models, all electric

Italy is the new chapter in a European expansion already successfully underway in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and eleven other markets. The debut is scheduled for spring, with the imminent opening of orders. The line-up coming to our country is ambitious and designed to target different segments of the premium market. It starts with the Zeekr 7X, a mid-size SUV, moves on to the Zeekr 001, a shooting brake with European design. Completing the range is the compact SUV Zeekr X, better suited to urban driving, while at the top of the range sits the 7GT, a sporty electric with a declared range of 655 kilometres and record-breaking performance.

Jameel Motors: 80 years of experience in the service of tomorrow's mobility

Acting as partner in the Italian venture, as was already the case for the Geely brand in Italy, is Jameel Motors, a distributor with over 80 years of history in the automotive sector and a presence in more than 10 markets across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. Hardly a newcomer. "The Zeekr brand allows us to introduce a highly competitive offer to Italy, designed in Europe and built around what customers truly need," explained Marco Santucci, Managing Director of Jameel Motors Italia for Geely and Zeekr. A vision aimed at long-term solidity, not a flash-in-the-pan moment.

Chinese technology and Swedish design: Zeekr's recipe

What sets Zeekr apart from other Chinese brands making their way into Europe? Mainly two things: the architecture, developed in-house by Geely and serving as a common technology platform across all models, and the decision to entrust design to a European centre. The result is a range of vehicles that deliver a very high perceived quality level and a clean, functional design with a touch of understated elegance.

"Demand for premium electric vehicles is growing rapidly, supported by continuous investment in charging infrastructure," stated Lothar Schupet, interim CEO of Zeekr Europe. An observation that holds true for Italy as well, where the electric transition is progressing – albeit with some unevenness – and where the premium segment still offers interesting room for growth.

Another Chinese piece in the puzzle of Italian mobility

Zeekr's arrival is not an isolated event. It is yet another move by a Chinese automotive industry that, with patience and capital, is building a structural presence in Europe. In that same Europe which, as mentioned, cannot seem to chart a course consistent with the (now urgent) need for decarbonisation of transport. The Geely Group, by contrast, has demonstrated a targeted strategy: first by acquiring value-laden European brands such as Volvo and Lotus, then, with brands like Zeekr, signalling the intention to create marques positioned at the upper end of the electric market, capitalising on the appeal of Western-influenced design on one hand and highly efficient economies of scale on the other – economies that are becoming increasingly difficult for European manufacturers to counter.

It is rather telling that Italy itself – a country that struggles to defend the ecological transition of its own industry (and where the electric car market accounts for roughly 6 per cent of sales, making it the perennial laggard of Europe) – should become a target for those who, on the other side of the world, have decided to bet on electric with conviction, offering in return the promise of superior quality (an impression confirmed – pending an upcoming test drive – during our first static encounter with the Zeekr models).