Zeekr plans to launch the Zeekr 001 and the Zeekr X first in Egypt, with the first local store to open in Cairo by the end of this year.
Zeekr (NYSE: ZK), the premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, has entered into a new partnership to expand its international presence into Africa.
The company recently signed a partnership agreement with Egyptian International Motors (EIM Group) to jointly tap the Egyptian market, according to an announcement today.
The two will build a sales and service network in Egypt to provide a high-end driving experience among local consumers, Zeekr said.
Zeekr plans to launch the Zeekr 001 shooting brake and the Zeekr X urban SUV (sport utility vehicle) in Egypt first, with plans to introduce more models in the future.
The company's first local store will open in the Egyptian capital Cairo by the end of 2024, according to the announcement.
Egypt is the second-largest automotive market in Africa, and the country's government is actively promoting the EV sector, with growing demand for China-made EVs, Zeekr's announcement said.
To date, Zeekr has also entered more than 35 mainstream international markets, including Sweden, Australia, Thailand, the UAE, Singapore, and Mexico, covering Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America, it said.
Zeekr was founded in March 2021 and launched its first model, the Zeekr 001, in April 2021, with deliveries beginning in October of the same year.
The company unveiled its European strategy in April 2023 and began efforts to expand into international markets, with the first overseas markets entered being the Netherlands and Sweden.
In addition to the Zeekr 001 and Zeekr X, the company currently sells the Zeekr 007 sedan, Zeekr 009 MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), Zeekr 7X SUV, and Zeekr Mix in China.
All of these models are battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and the Zeekr Mix five-seater, which was launched on October 23, is not explicitly defined as either an SUV or an MPV, although it looks more like an MPV.
Zeekr will launch a flagship SUV in the second half of 2025, which will be offered in variants featuring new electric-hybrid powertrain technology, Geely Holding Group president and Zeekr CEO Andy An said in August.
Zeekr delivered 21,333 vehicles in September, surpassing June's previous record of 20,106 vehicles for a record high and marking the second month above the 20,000 mark.
In the third quarter, Zeekr delivered a record 55,003 vehicles, up 51.13 percent year-on-year and up 0.35 percent from the second quarter.
It will report unaudited financial results for the third quarter of 2024 on Thursday, November 14, before the US markets open.
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