First ZEEKR 009 MPVs roll off assembly line in China with 500+ mile range
Just over six months after teasing first images of its second EV model, Chinese automaker ZEEKR has officially begun production of the 009 MPV. Deliveries of the all-electric, multi-purpose vehicle are expected to follow soon, contributing to the Geely sub-brand’s quick growth and early success.
ZEEKR remains a relatively young luxury EV automotive brand in China founded as recently as 2021 under Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd, better known as Geely. Geely added ZEEKR to its EV umbrella as a high-end marque to compete in China against fellow automakers like Tesla and NIO. So far, it’s held its own and reported decent quarterly numbers in 2022.
The company’s flagship EV – the ZEEKR 001 – began deliveries overseas over a year ago, ahead of publicly shared plans to eventually expand to new markets in both North America and the EU. Before then however, ZEEKR has been working to deliver its second EV, the 009 which it began teasing last summer.
By August, we had our first full look at the MPV, which will feature CATL’s energy dense Qilin batteries, a contributor to the 822 km range the higher-tier version of the ZEEKR 009 is touting now that production is officially underway.
ZEEKR team celebrates 009 SOP, two models in two years
ZEEKR shared images of the first 009 models rolling off its assembly line Ningbo, Zhejiang province of China yesterday. Deliveries will soon follow. The ZEEKR 009 officially launched sales in China this past November, offering two different versions – the WE and ME.
The Zeekr 009 comes standard with a dual motor powertrain with 400 kW peak power, plus ternary lithium batteries. The size of those packs does vary alongside starting MSRP. For example, the WE trim starts at RMB 499,000 ($73,680) and includes an 116 kWh battery offering 702 km (436 miles) of range.
The higher end model includes an 140 kWh pack that includes the aforementioned Qilin technology, delivering 822 km (~511 miles) of range on a single charge and starts at a price of RMB 588,000 ($86,822). It’s important to note that these range estimates are CLTC and would likely equate to significantly lower distances from the EPA. Still impressive for such a large EV, nonetheless.
Even as the lower-end trim, ZEEKR is touting the WE 009 as the first MPV in China to eclipse 700 km CLTC range. In December, ZEEKR announced it had surpassed its output goal of 70,000 units for 2022 and shortly followed up with targeted plans for 140,000 annual units from 2023 onward.
So far, there have been no talks of a third model in the ZEEKR family, nor has the Geely brand shared more details of its expansions into new markets like the US. However, the company did quietly file for a US IPO in December.
At the pace this EV automaker is moving, we are sure to hear some more news soon.
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The BYD “Shenzhen” set sail on its first voyage overseas this week. With 9,200 parking spots, or about enough to fill 20 football fields, BYD’s new car transport ship is now the world’s largest.
BYD’s largest car carrier sets sail for Brazil
BYD’s Shenzhen is on its maiden voyage to Brazil after setting sail on April 27. The vessel is carrying over 7,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs), including electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It’s the largest single batch of NEVs exported from China so far.
The new vessel is BYD’s fourth car transport ship and the world’s largest, capable of carrying 9,000 vehicles. According to the company, that’s enough to fill about 20 football fields.
BYD launched its first car carrier, the Explorer No 1, in January 2024. It has already completed several trips to Germany, Spain, and Brazil.
Its second, the BYD Changzhou, set sail in December 2024, followed by the Hefei earlier this year. All three vessels can carry up to 7,000 vehicles, making the Shenzhen the largest so far.
The Shenzhen is named after the automaker’s hometown and demonstrates “BYD’s firm determination to promote sustainable development in Brazil.”
BYD is preparing to launch two more vessels, the Changsha and Xi’an. The Changsha is expected to launch soon, while the Xi’an was introduced on April 2.
The new car carriers will help accelerate BYD’s aggressive overseas expansion. In the first three months of 2025, the company sold over 206,000 NEVs overseas, more than double the number it sold last year.
BYD sells a wide range of vehicles in Brazil, including the low-cost Dolphin Mini, starting at around $20,000 (99,800 BRL). In October, it launched its first hybrid pickup truck, the Shark, starting at 379,800 BTL ($66,900).
Brazil is only one overseas market that BYD is targeting. BYD’s sales are expected to double in Europe in 2025, with significant growth in other key regions like Southeast Asia, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea, to name a few.
Source: BYD
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‘Tesla homes’ in a Houston neighborhood where all the homes have Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls went for sale.
7 out of the 11 homes have reportedly already sold.
Tesla neighborhood is a term that is being used for new developments where all the homes integrate all or part of Tesla’s power ecosystem, including the Powerwall home battery pack.
The best example is a giant new development project in Austin, Texas, by Brookfield Asset Management and Dacra in which up to 12,000 new homes are to be built and offering Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls.
However, since the announcement, it looks like only some of the homes in the new neighborhood have Tesla energy systems.
In 2022, Tesla also announced a similar project in Las Vegas.
A year later, the company claimed to have deployed “over 600 solar neighborhoods” worldwide, with a total capacity exceeding 100 MW.
One such ‘Tesla neighborhood’ is a small block of 11 townhouse homes featuring Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls in Houston, Texas.
The homes were recently completed and went on sale, starting at $544,900.
Here are some pictures from the listings:
Utopia Homes, the developer behind the project, described the properties (via Chron):
Step into modern elegance expertly crafted by Utopia Homes. This property showcases groundbreaking Tesla Solar Roof Shingles and Power Wall technology, ensuring 100% energy security and eliminating electric bills for a truly sustainable lifestyle.
The house has proved popular according to the real estate agents, with 7 out of 11 homes already sold.
As we recently reported, Tesla’s solar roofs have proven to be a more expensive and niche product than the company previously presented.
Tesla has largely stopped discussing it, but it is still being deployed through some third-party installers, such as in this case, on new homes.
However, its Powerwall product remains a very popular solution for homeowners seeking greater energy independence and protection against outages, which have been a frequent problem in Texas.
More homeowners are turning to generators, and alternatives like home battery packs are gaining popularity.
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Canadian electric propulsion specialist Vision Marine continues to graduate beyond advanced outboard motors into a provider of all-electric boats. This month, Vision introduced two new electric pontoon boats – the 12-passenger V24 and 15-passenger V30, each capable of a range up to 90 nautical miles.
Vision Marine Technologies ($VMAR) is a Canadian technology company with over 25 years of experience in the marine industry. The company made waves (literally) by introducing its E-Motion turnkey powertrain system, which it has since integrated into a catamaran speedboat, which set a speed record of 109 mph in 2022.
Since then, Vision has introduced six hp two-cruiser vessels – the Fantail 217 and Volt 180, each capable of transporting 10 passengers via its E-Motion technology. Most recently, Vision Marine has integrated the full power of its 180 hp electric powertrain technology into two additional vessels, both electric pontoon boats.
Earlier this month, the company officially began sales of the Vision V24 and V30, which you can view below.
Vision Marine brings power and range to electric pontoons
According to Vision Marine Technologies, orders for its two new electric pontoon boats are now open, and they are touting the same E-Motion technology that put the company on the map a few years ago.
The first model is the V24, a 12-passenger electric pontoon that is 24′ 8″ in length and has 180 hp. The ultra-quiet E-Motion powertrain is powered by a standard 43 kWh marine battery pack, offering 40 nautical miles (46 miles) of all-electric range on a single charge. For added range, Vision sells a version of the electric pontoon with a second battery pack, totaling 86 kWh and delivering up to 90 nautical miles (104 miles) of range.
While the V24 offers more of a classic attempt at the pontoon boat, Vision’s additional new vessel, the all-electric V30, is a tad sportier and provides room for more passengers aboard (15). This 30′ vessel features the same E-Motion powertrain options, complete with the same two battery configurations to offer the same ranges as the V24.
However, the V30 has additional features such as 4 x 6.5″ interior speakers and cool-touch seats. Both models feature an integrated onboard charger that supports both 120- 240V (30 to 50 amps) for seamless charging, no matter the dock plug while moored.
The Vision V24 starts at $99,995 for the standard battery pack version, while the V30 starts at a higher price of $139,995. As previously mentioned, both electric pontoon boats are available to order today.
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