Chinese EV automaker ZEEKR is returning to Las Vegas this January to showcase its EV technology in the US during the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). ZEEKR intends to showcase three of its most popular all-electric models before unveiling some new core technologies and discussing its plans for the global EV market.
January 2025 will mark ZEEKR’s third consecutive participation in the annual CES event, which is notable considering the company was founded less than four years ago.
At CES 2023, ZEEKR made its public debut in the US, showcasing its flagship 001 shooting brake and a purpose-built EV designed for robotaxi network Waymo, which we saw up close later that fall. During last year’s event, ZEEKR showcased its 007, which had just launched in China days before. It offers a 540-mile range and a starting price below $30,000.
Since then, ZEEKR has had a truly busy 2024. We’ve seen the company launch two new EV models in China, one of which will be displayed at CES next month. ZEEKR has also expanded sales into new European markets and entered North America for the first time, launching its 001 and X EVs in Mexico.
This year, we also saw ZEEKR debut some new technologies, such as its “golden” LFP batteries designed in-house that can recharge from 10-80% in 10.5 minutes. Following its announcement that it will participate at CES for a third straight year, ZEEKR also teased some additional technology it intends to unveil.
ZEEKR to display 001 FR, 009 Grand, and MIX EVs at CES
So far, ZEEKR is the only Chinese EV automaker to confirm its presence at CES 2025 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and is bringing with it three popular models. Per the company, its display booth will enable visitors to see three of its “heavyweight” EV models up close: The 001 FR shooting brake, the 009 Grand MPV, and the new MIX compact MPV, which launched in October. Per the company:
At this CES, ZEEKR will showcase leading technology to the global market for the first time, truly achieving full stack self-developed and global sharing. Only by understanding the different needs of local markets with a global perspective can we create highly differentiated and internationally competitive products.
As hinted above, much of the technology that will be unveiled at CES is an effort to enable ZEEKR’s continued global expansion. The automaker has already entered 40 countries and regions outside of China, including Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Latin America. Zeekr has opened 500 stores worldwide, including 53 outside of mainland China. Per the press release:
Under the new energy wave of the automotive industry and the trend of Chinese automobiles going global, Zeekr has achieved value output and market expansion through technological innovation and product upgrades, not only occupying a place in the global automotive market competition, but also becoming a new business card for the rise of China’s automotive industry and the upward development of Chinese automotive brands. At the highly anticipated CES 2025, ZEEKR will once again refresh the travel experience of global users with China’s automotive innovative technology. Please stay tuned for more exciting content.
CES 2025 will take place in Las Vegas from January 7 to 10, and ZEEKR intends to host a press conference and panel discussion on January 6 and January 7 to unveil some of the tech teased above.
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The refreshed Model Y, codenamed Juniper, expected to have similar features as the refreshed “Highland” Model 3, is will start mass production in China next month, according to local media.
The news was reported by local news site LatePost, and brought to the English world by CnEVPost.
The original report mostly discussed the departure of Song Gang, the former director of Tesla’s Shanghai factory, which we reported on earlier today.
But in addition to that, it said that mass production will begin on the new Model Y in January.
The refreshed Model Y has been expected for some time, and is expected to include many of the improvements of the 2023 Model 3 refresh. The headline features of that vehicle are a new front-end, more efficiency, and a quieter cabin. But there were a lot of other interior improvements as well (and one big de-provement, the deletion of steering column stalks).
And we know that it’s coming soon, because there have been plenty of sightings and leaks lately (including a 2-second video taken last week in San Jose). In October, Chinese social media said the refresh was about to enter trial production, and just days later we saw a photo of the refreshed Model Y outside the Shanghai factory.
So it’s not surprising that more information would leak about upcoming production again.
The report also suggests that the rumored 6-seat Model Y will start production in Shanghai in the fourth quarter of 2025 – so it’s still quite a ways out.
As for delivery times, the report doesn’t specify when that might happen. But there may be some time to wait, especially here in the US.
In terms of official comment from Tesla, all we’ve heard is that there will be no Model Y refresh “this year” – but that’s over in two weeks, so the doors are wide open for the Model Y to enter the market any time now.
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Honda announced it will be back at CES this year, unveiling the next phase of its new 0 Series line of EVs. At this year’s event in Las Vegas, Honda intends to unveil two prototype EVs based on the concepts that debuted a year prior. This will be our next look at Honda’s 0 Series progress as it looks to bring these two initial models to market in 2026.
While Honda is a household name in automotive and other motor-powered vehicles, its presence in the EV space has been limited but growing. The company currently sells the Prologue EV, built atop GM’s Ultium Platform, but it has yet to deliver US consumers an entirely bespoke model.
That era will begin with Honda’s upcoming 0 Series line of all-electric vehicles. We got our first public view of Honda’s new 0 Series design language during CES 2024 this past January when the Japanese automaker unveiled two EV concepts called “Saloon” and “Space-Hub.”
At the time, Honda said the two concepts represented a design precursor to Honda’s next-generation EVs. This past October, I visited Honda’s design center in Japan, where I saw the Saloon concept inside and out. I even got to test drive the automaker’s new 0 Series EV platform. However, it was implemented on an Accord body, so it was difficult to get a feel for how its upcoming bespoke models, like the Saloon, will drive.
Honda has previously stated that the Saloon will be one of two passenger EVs to hit the market in the 0 Series, and the automaker has taken the next step in that process, moving from concepts to prototypes, which it is now teasing ahead of their reveal at CES 2025.
Honda to unveil two 0 Series prototypes, new tech at CES
Honda posted the two teaser images above today, along with the date and location of their official reveal at CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 7. According to Honda, these prototypes represent the next models in the Honda 0 Series, which are slotted to hit global market in 2026.
Honda has yet to share many more details about the EV prototypes, but they are clearly evolutions of the Saloon and Space-Hub concepts that debuted at least one year ago. It seems these two bespoke BEVs will be the first in Honda’s 0 Series lineup to hit the market and offer very different designs for consumers. Per the release:
In January at CES 2024, Honda premiered the Honda 0 Series and its ‘Thin, Light and Wise’ development approach. At CES 2025, Honda will provide further details on this approach with a focus on the ‘Wise’ value.
The “Thin, Light, and Wise” approach was at the core of all of Honda’s presentations and demonstrations during my five days in Japan earlier this year, and I learned a lot about the company’s goals and philosophy as it looks to catch up in a an exciting and ever-evolving global EV market.
That being said, the Honda team kept most of its cards to its chest and was extremely vague about what technologies that we were shown would actually make their way into bonafide production EVs. I found Honda’s unique production and assembly techniques most fascinating, especially since it was some of the only concrete tactics we could confirm.
Equipment like 6,000-ton megacasting machines—six of which will go into operation at Honda’s US production facility in Ohio—and Honda’s proprietary Constant DC Chopping (CDC) welding technology will help the automaker reduce the number of individual parts and overall vehicle weight while increasing passive safety performance.
In terms of the specs of Honda’s 0 Series EVs, however, we are still very much in the dark. In addition to unveiling its two EV prototypes, Honda said it would introduce a new vehicle OS and automated driving technologies that will be implemented in the 0 Series models. So, we will get more insight into what these future BEVs can do (finally).
At CES 2025, Honda will also provide an overview of the System on Chip (SoC) that will support the Honda 0 Series models and the Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV), which is “at the core of the ‘Wise’ value.” All eyes will be on the Honda booth on January 7, 2025, when we will follow up with a full recap.
Honda CES 2025 press conference details: Date/Time: Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 10:30 – 11:00 AM (local time) Venue: Honda booth (West Hall, booth #4640) at Las Vegas Convention Center Livestreaming URL: https://youtube.com/live/3M87dqNbY3U
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Jaguar’s radical new EV has been the center of attention over the past few weeks. For better or worse, the British automaker is plowing ahead with plans to turn sales around with a new lineup of ultra-luxury electric models. As it prepares for a new era, Jaguar’s first EV, an electric 4-door GT, was just spotted in public. Check out the video of the controversial model below.
After unveiling its new Type 00 EV concept, Jaguar has seen more attention over the past month than it has in the past 20 years.
The company claimed the concept was “Jaguar at its best,” showing “an unmistakable, unexpected and dramatic physical manifestation” of the brand. It was unmistakable and unexpected to see the least.
Some loved Jaguar’s bold new design, while many teased the company. Even Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk and Lucid Motors had something to say. Musk wrote on X, “Do you sell cars?” while Lucid responded with a photo of its souped-up Air Sapphire luxury sedan.
Jaguar will stop building most models by the end of the year as it preps for a new all-electric luxury lineup. Although Jaguar Land Rover said the new EVs would cost over £100,000 ($130,000), prices will be even higher.
In an interview with The Sunday Times (Via EuroNews) earlier this month, CEO Adrian Mardell said that the new lineup will likely be priced around £150,000, or nearly $200,000.
With its official debut coming up, Jaguar’s first EV from the new lineup was spotted testing in public. The new video from KindelAuto reveals the 4-door test vehicle near JLR’s engineering center.
Despite the camouflage, you can see the prototype stays close to the Type 00 concept design with a fastback profile and “exuberant proportions.”
Jaguar will reveal its new 4-door EV GT in late 2025, with sales expected to follow in mid-2026. Based on its new JEA (Jaguar Electric Architecture), the company expects an EPA driving range of 430 miles (692 km) and up to 478 miles (770 km) on the WLTP cycle.
What do you think of Jaguar’s controversial new luxury EV? Can it survive the transition? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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