Zeekr 9X – China’s Flagship SUV With Hypercar Power and a Sensible Price: 10,000 Pre-Orders in the First 15 Minutes

The all-new Zeekr 9X has just been officially introduced in China, and its numbers are raising eyebrows across the industry. This full-size hybrid SUV—whose design clearly draws inspiration from the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Range Rover—offers extraordinary performance at a starting price of 456,000 yuan (about $64,000).

For perspective, that sum in the U.S. would get you something like a mid-size Lincoln Nautilus—ironically also built in China. But that’s where the similarities end. In terms of power, the Zeekr 9X leaves most hypercars in the dust. The range-topping Hyper version packs a hybrid system combining a turbocharged gasoline engine with three electric motors, producing a staggering 1,381 horsepower. With this arsenal, the multi-ton SUV can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.1 seconds, with a top speed electronically limited to 149 mph.

Performance, however, is only half the story. The Zeekr 9X is also a technological showcase. It features the world’s largest battery ever fitted to a production hybrid—70 kWh—good for up to 186 miles of pure electric driving. Thanks to its 900-volt architecture, the pack can be recharged from 20 to 80 percent in just 10 minutes, making it one of the quickest-charging hybrids available.

Its dimensions reflect its flagship status: 206.2 inches long, 79.9 inches wide, and riding on a 124.7-inch wheelbase. Inside, the three-row (2+2+2) cabin features digital displays and entertainment screens for passengers. The Qianli Haohan H9 autonomous driving system employs five lidars and dual Nvidia Drive Thor-U chipsets to deliver full 360-degree monitoring and blind-spot awareness.

Demand has been explosive: 10,000 pre-orders in the first 15 minutes, and more than 40,000 within the first hour. Deliveries for Chinese customers are scheduled to begin in November.