Zeekr 8X and 9X waitlist warning

Zeekr is warning of potentially long wait lists for its upcoming range of much-hyped cars, telling CarsGuide expressions of interest were building "faster than expected." Speaking at the Everything Electric show in Sydney, Zeekr Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Frank Li said he was expecting there to be extended delivery times for the 7GT electric station wagon as well as the 8X and 9X large plug-in hybrid SUVs set to arrive in 2027 as the order banks grow in Australia and across the world.. "We anticipate that 7GT might actually have a longer wait list than 7X did," he said, adding "9X and 8X really have this huge interest.. Every time I attend an event - even things not related to cars at all, I will have people try and place an order with me." "The order bank is growing fast..

Faster than we expected.. There's huge hype amongst our customers.. We're even seeing some families flying 8X across from China." Li said the overwhelming reception to these new models in the markets they have already launched in, like the UAE and even the Chinese domestic market, was creating bottlenecks for the company..

"It's not just production capacity, but the whole supply chain.. Shipping, logistics, even delivery centres can hold things up." Li said that while the 8X and 9X "will bring Zeekr to the next level in Australia" in terms of volume, he warned availability would be severely limited.. "I strongly recommend that buyers place a deposit if they want one..

They need to make sure they are in that line so once the car is launched they can get into it as soon as possible." The 7X mid-size SUV, which launched at an unprecedented price-point for a premium electric mid-sizer of $57,900, before on-road costs, rapidly became one of the fastest-selling EVs in Australia.. By the end of August this year, it was the ninth best selling car in the country overall.. However, some customers were left waiting some time for delivery as the brand struggled to keep up with demand..

Li's warning about potentially even worse wait times bodes well for the brand long-term, which is even more ambitious than it was when it arrived in Australia just two years ago.. When asked if Zeekr could be the number one luxury brand in the country, leapfrogging once-favourites like Audi BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Li said recent developments make that a possibility, but sales targets aren't his primary concern.. "When we launched the brand, not just in Australia but globally, we were always hoping to become the best-selling premium EV brand, but with PHEV coming with 8X and 9X I think we can have some bigger ambitions of trying to become the best-selling premium brand," he said..

"But, apart from sales volume, it's more important for us actually to have that customer satisfaction and the attitude toward the Zeekr brand.. "If you were to ask me about what the brand looks like in three years I wouldn't have a volume target to share with you, but after three years if we're surveying customers when we ask about premium brands, Zeekr needs to be one of their top considerations.. So this is more important than volume..

That's my target." To that end, Li said the brand's dealers would be asked to build a more premium experience in order to set Zeekr apart from its myriad of rivals and soon-to-arrive competitors like Avatr from Changan or Wey from GWM.. "We're not aiming for this big number of dealers, and for them to just change their logo and start selling cars.. That's not what we want, we want to build the customer experience properly." He said the brand's big investments in track events, dining and experiences were part of keeping its buyers engaged for longer "after we've handed over the keys"..

It may even result in the Australian market scoring its own option packs, as the brand welcomes buyer feedback on track days and modifications.. "Actually, we've already got customers showing us modifications they've done themselves," Li said.. "We're developing some OEM-backed modifications for the Australian market..

These are the kinds of lifestyle things we'll be working on in the future." Next for Zeekr is the launch of the 7GT which is expected to arrive before the end of 2026 with customer deliveries more likely for early 2027.. The 9X three-row large plug-in will follow shortly afterwards, with the 8X due in the second half of 2027..