ZEEKR’s 001 FR will have quad-motors, CATL Qilin batteries, and 1,265 bhp… oh, and tank turns
Less than a month after teasing a new high-performance version of its flagship 001 EV, ZEEKR has shared some of its upcoming specs – and they’re impressive. After straight up calling Tesla’s Model S Plaid “dull,” the Chinese automaker is “saying sorry to other performance brands,” because the ZEEKR 001 FR is packin’ some heat.
These are some more bold words from an automotive company that was founded as recently as March of 2021 and has introduced three all-electric bespoke models since. That began in October of 2021 when the 001 sedan began off its assembly lines in China.
With 001s now on their Europe, ZEEKR is not only expanding its lineup, but its global footprint. Next, however, the company appears to be attempting to turn some heads on the racetrack. In August, ZEEKR sent out a cheeky Tweet introducing a high-performance version of the 001 called the FR – its first luxury sports car.
While throwing shade at Tesla, ZEEKR described the 001 FR as “a new kind of beast,” but not much else. By calling out Plaid specifically, we surmised ZEEKR had some serious performance. You know, since that version of the Model S remains one of the fastest production EVs on Earth.
Today we have our answer – Quad-motors baby.
ZEEKR 001 FR is not only fast, but production ready
According to a press release from ZEEKR today, the 001 FR feature four silicon-carbine motors – double the powertrain of the boring old 001 we were talking about. The automaker says the quad-motors combine for a distributed e-drive design supported by in-house software and hardware technologies, utilizing torque vectoring to adjust each wheel in milliseconds.
Oh, and it can do tank turns.
Those motors combine for a staggering 1,265 brake horsepower (bhp) and can propel the electric sports car from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 2.07 seconds (rolling start). That’s fast, but what might be faster is the ZEEKR 001 FR’s charging capabilities thanks to a 100 kWh pack powered by CATL’s next-generation Qilin batteries.
ZEEKR states the upcoming EV can charge from 10-80% in a mere 15 minutes – that’s one of the company’s incoming V3 fast charging piles that offer a maximum output of 800kW (1000V, 800A). By 2024, ZEEKR says it plans to expand its fast charger network to 1,000 stations.
Long before then, however, we should be seeing the 001 FR starting rolling out as ZEEKR also revealed deliveries are scheduled to begin in October. Everything about this car is fast. To keep others safe, ZEEKR said it will give each customers personalized training sessions so they can handle the performance of the new EV.
When deliveries begin, ZEEKR is planning to produce 99 001 FRs per month thereafter. ZEEKR still has officially shared pricing yet, but as we reported during the original announcement, a source shared ZEEKR is asking over RMB 1 million ($138,700). We will have to wait and see.
Looking forward to getting behind the wheel of this one (with proper training of course). Check it out!
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Chevron is not seeing signs that the U.S. is close to a recession even as President Donald Trump’s tariffs weigh on expectations for oil demand, CEO Mike Wirth said Tuesday.
“There’s no signs that we see at this point that we are in or close to a recession,” Wirth told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “There are signs that growth may be slowing and we have to always be prepared for that.”
The International Monetary Fund on Monday cut its growth outlook for the U.S. this year to 1.8%, down from 2.7% previously.
The oil market is expecting reduced demand as a consequence of Trump’s tariffs and the decision by OPEC+ increase production faster than expected, Wirth said. Chevron isn’t changing its capital spending plans in response to drop in prices, the CEO said.
U.S. crude oil prices have fallen about 11% since Trump announced his tariffs on April 2. West Texas Intermediate was last up about 72 cents at $63.80 per barrel. OPEC and the International Energy Agency have cut their demand outlooks for this year.
Wirth said U.S. onshore oil production in patches like the Permian Basin is likely to pull back if prices hit $60 per barrel. Offshore production likely won’t be affected, he said.
“That’s an area where if we were to be at a $60 price or even lower you’re likely to see activity pull back in this sector and you’ll see the production response over a few months,” Wirth said. “That’s what we should watch, not so much the deep water activity.”
Chevron is not expecting a major direct impact on its business from Trump’s tariffs as energy has largely been exempt from the levies, Wirth said.
“The effects that we feel are likely to be more the macroeconomic effects as they flow through the economy,” Wirth said. “The bigger issues would be what would it mean for growth, and global trade and how does that evolve.”
Executives at oil and gas companies were scathing in their criticism of Trump’s tariffs in an anonymous March survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, warning that steel tariffs were raising their costs and low prices could impact their activity.
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Little is known about super-secretive EV startup Slate, but the fledgling brand is rumored to be backed by Jeff Bezos and determined to shake up the existing electric order with an affordable lineup of compact SUVs and pickups with that golden $25,000 price tag.
Now, at least, we know what it’s gonna look like. The battle of the billionaires is on!
Redditor jonjopop over at the spotted subreddit spotted what looks like an early prototype of an unbranded SUV with bizarre “CryShare” wrap. CryShare, as a concept, seems to combine the functionality of a ride sharing app like Uber or Lyft with the familiar (to parent, anyway) idea that small babies will often sleep better in a moving car than in their own cribs … but that’s not what’s important here.
Instead, focus on the vehicle itself – parked on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Los Angeles without explanation or fanfare, this is our best look yet at the kind of vehicle(s) Slate is likely to reveal in the coming days.
Stumbled upon the Bezosmobile [Slate Automotive…idk?] being revealed with an absolutely bizarre marketing campaign
byu/jonjopop inspotted
Other local automotive journalists caught wind of the public unveiling, too – and our friends at The Autopian (Hi, Matt!) sent their own David Tracy out on the streets of LA to check it out. Tracy took the following video and posted it to Instagram.
The Slate breaking cover and causing buzz just ahead of what’s sure to be a painful Q1 earnings call for Tesla is a masterstroke of marketing – especially as doubts surrounding the viability of a “less expensive” Tesla Model Y or Model 3 continue to mount amid the uncertainty of Trump’s tariffs and declining sales of the brand’s more profitable models both at home and abroad.
As with so much involving Slate, however, there is nothing here written in stone – or even cast in cheese. Nothing has been announced, nothing is promised, and for all we know this might have more to do with the affordable Rivian brand launch, a new BYD, or be a viral marketing bit from some local Art Center design student in (relatively) nearby Pasadena. In fact, about the only thing I think we can say about Bezos (?) new Slate project with confidence today is this: Elon could probably use that drink.
SOURCES | IMAGES: Reddit, The Autopian.
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