After its premiere in Thailand, the battery-electric 2024 Zeekr 009 hasn’t held back in staking claim to the luxury MPV market by undercutting the current front-runners, the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire.
There will just be one version available, the Flagship AWD, which will cost 3.099 million baht (about RM 395,000). Comparing that to the Alphard and Vellfire, which range in price from 4.129 million to 4.499 million baht (about RM 526,000 to RM 573,000), that represents a substantial reduction.
The Zeekr 009, which is entirely imported from China, has a total output of 612 horsepower and 693 Nm of torque thanks to two electric motors. A large 116 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that provides a WLTP-rated 582 km powers the motors. Expect around 500km in the real-world though. It can go from a 10-80% level of charge in just 11.5 minutes with DC rapid charging up to 310 kW.
Surprisingly the zero to 100 km/h sprint takes just 4.5 seconds, with a top speed of 230 km/h.
Thailand is the second right-hand drive market market for the 009 after Hong Kong and hence, the specs are identical. That includes air-suspension, a 2+2+2 seat layout with the mandatory powered lounge seats in the middle with a massage function, power-sliding doors, twin panoramic roof, a 30-speaker Yamaha stereo sound system and 20-inch wheels.
Luxury is synonymous with touchscreens these days and only Bugatti seems to have ignored the trend with its Tourbillon. Nonetheless, the 009 gets a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system and an OLED 17-inch rear passenger display.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
Like the Alphard, the 009 boasts unique lines and a standout grille—which seems to be common fare for luxury MPVs these days. Although the Zeekr X and the 009 are confirmed for the Malaysian market, no specific launch dates have been set. Could the Alphard and Vellfire finally have a worthy rival?