Seth and I recently traveled to China to attend the Shanghai Auto Show and used the opportunity to travel to Hangzhou with ZEEKR and test drive most of the automaker’s EVs. Even better, ZEEKR helped us acquire temporary driver’s permits in China, enabling us to test EVs like the new 007 GT on public roads. Read on and check out my full video below

We finally made it to China with the help of ZEEKR

ZEEKR is a Chinese automaker that is no stranger to Electrek’s homepage on a near-weekly basis. The Geely-owned BEV subsidiary was founded just over four years ago, and it has made huge strides in EV development across its native China as well as expanding availability of ZEEKR EVs to customers in Europe.

Since I personally cover much of the Chinese BEV scene, I finally got my chance to fly overseas and attend the Shanghai Auto Show—one of the more prominent events in China each year. I brought Electrek’s founder, Seth Weintraub, along with me to Shanghai, where we saw a slew of exciting new EV models in China, including an up-close look at all of ZEEKR’s models on the showroom floor.

After the show, ZEEKR took us a couple of hours southwest to its home in Hangzhou. There, we got to tour ZEEKR’s massive headquarters and see a robotic charging demonstration. Better still, Geely and ZEEKR arranged a test drive day for us. They also helped facilitate temporary driver’s permits in China so we could experience all its technology on public roads.

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ZEEKR showcased its growing lineup of impressive EVs

To start our test drive day, ZEEKR set up a showcase in a large parking lot in Hangzhou, outside the city center where it is headquartered. The automaker, alongside fellow Geely sibling Lynk & Co., had a slew of BEVs on display, including the new ZEEKR MIX, which should make its way to the US in the form of a LiDAR equipped variant for Waymo, as well as the ultra-plush 009 MPV (see images above).

To begin, we took off on a test drive on public roads in China that included four vehicles – two from ZEEKR and two from Lynk & Co. We started in the brand new 007 GT, which was launched in China in mid-April, so we were one of the first media outlets to test it out.

Of all the vehicles I tested that day, the 007 GT was my favorite. It’s a sleek sedan complemented by a sporty interior (red leather in the version we drove) and has some impressive specs to boot. As reported last month, ZEEKR describes its 007 GT as “the EV that does everything.” It’s 800V SEA platform (from Geely) enables DC fast charging in a blistering 10.5 minutes when housing a standard 75 kWh pack with LFP cells. That variant delivers up to 650 km (404 miles) CLTC range, but there’s also a 100 kWh NMC pack that can offer up to 825 km CLTC range. That’s 513 miles.

My first impression was how smooth and quiet the ride was, especially for a BEV that can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/hr (0 to 62 mph) in 2.95 seconds. It’s not the loudest design from an exterior standpoint, but this ZEEKR model is sneaky fast while offering a premium feel inside.

When driving around China, Seth and I were both thoroughly impressed by the overall handling and response of the ZEEKR EVs, including the 007 GT and the 7X seen below.

Driving ZEEKR EVs around public roads in China

After the 007 GT, we moved over to the ZEEKR 7X, which hit the market in China last year. This sporty crossover is surprisingly roomy inside and handles nimbly like a smaller BEV. Seth and I were blown away by the technology in both models, especially the head-up display.

Not only does the HUD show your current speed and navigation, but it also projects other vehicles and objects around you in real time. We are used to this feature in Teslas and Rivians, but has never seen it on a HUD before. Well done ZEEKR, that’s an excellent touch.

ZEEKR has a voice command system that can perform hands-free tasks like rolling the windows up or down, which we tested out in the video below. While my heart is with the 007 GT, the ZEEKR 7X was a close second, and I’m throughly jealous that drivers in China have access to these models and I don’t.

, in my opinion, but the 900 was a work of art. Seth was especially enthralled by that model and wrote a full review of his own, whichWe also drove the Lynk & Co. V20 and 900 BEVs. The V20 was pretty basic inside and out in my opinio, but the 900 was a work of art. Seth was especially enthralled by that model and did a full review of his own you can check out here.

Overall, after visiting the Shanghai Auto Show and driving a bunch of ZEEKR EVs on the road and track in China, our consensus was that native automakers over there are leaps ahead of the US and Europe. The tech is better, the charging is better, and companies like ZEEKR are able to deliver premium BEVs with outstanding range at prices US consumers have yet to see—at least not from a “bang for your buck” standpoint.

It was an excellent opportunity to get behind the wheel of some of the models from China that we cover regularly. Whether ZEEKR or other foreign automakers make their way to the US, the advancements they have made overseas offer an exciting glimpse of the future of electric mobility.

As promised, here’s some of our drive footage from China. Let us know what you think!