Zeekr is launching its second plug-in hybrid SUV (PHEV) and could be coming to Australia.
The new 8X Gaps between the 7X midsize electric SUV, which launched here in late 2025, and the 9X PHEV flagship SUV, which debuted in China last year.
Car news China reports that the 8X will launch in China in the first half of 2026 and will offer both five- and six-seat configurations.
Zeekr Australia has previously hinted that it is considering offering PHEVs locally, opening the door to the 8X or 9X.
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“While we are pleased to see the positive response these vehicles have received in China, at this time we have no confirmed plans or timelines regarding their potential introduction to the Australian market,” a Zeekr Australia spokesperson said when contacted for comment today.
While the 8X has only been teased by Zeekr so far, exterior images have been published in a Chinese government filing and shared by Car news China.
According to technical specifications in the filing, the 8X will be offered with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 205 kW, paired with 55.1 kWh or 70 kWh ternary lithium batteries sourced from the CATL-Geely joint venture.
This results in a purely electric range according to WLTC of 256 km or 328 km.
According to Zeekr, the 9X’s 70 kWh battery can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in just nine minutes, with a 10 to 80 percent charge taking just 10.3 minutes.
Specifications for the electric motors are not yet available.
Car news China reports that the flagship variant of the 8X will use three electric motors for a total system output of up to 1030 kW – just like the 9X, where this powertrain accelerates the flagship SUV to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds.
The 8X is expected to follow the 9X and use Geely’s SEA-S platform with a 900V electrical system and feature technologies such as the Haohan AI Digital Chassis, which scans the road surface and adjusts the suspension accordingly.
A range of active safety and driver assistance technologies are set to be offered, with the 8X expected to feature not only cameras and radar, but also LiDAR.
While its design is slimmer than that of the 9X – which bears at least a passing resemblance to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan – it still features a distinctive chrome grille in the style of the flagship SUV and the 009 electric people mover.
The 8X is 5100mm long, 1998mm wide and 1780mm high with a wheelbase of 3069mm. This makes it more similar in size to the flagship 9X than the 7X sold here; It is therefore slightly larger than an Audi Q7.
The electric 7X is 4787mm long, 1930mm wide and 1650mm high on a 2900mm wheelbase, while the 9X PHEV is 5239mm long, 2029mm wide and 1819mm high on a 3169mm wheelbase.
Zeekr will offer the 8X with a choice of 20-, 21- and 22-inch alloy wheels. The total curb weight is between 2660 kg and 2820 kg, depending on the variant.
Zeekr launched here in 2024 and got off to a slow start with the 009 electric people mover and the X small SUV. However, the introduction of the 7X later in 2025 sent the brand into turmoil.
The brand, which is owned by Volvo and Lotus parent company Geely, was only founded in 2021. However, it is eagerly expanding its global presence and Geely has even hinted at possible entry into the US market.
MORE: Discover the Zeekr showroom
