Turbo petrol engine pairs with two or three electric motors for huge power, 1000km driving range, and bigger, plusher interiors than the existing 7X
Chinese luxury brand Zeekr has confirmed it will add two larger SUVs in the form of the BMW X5-sized 8X and X7-sized 9X to its Australian showrooms, with the pair set to arrive in either late 2026 or early 2027.
The pair will introduce a ‘super hybrid’ system, known as extended-range electric (EREV) technology, to Australia for the first time under the Zeekr badge.
Pictured: 2026 Zeekr 8X (overseas model shown)
As their badges indicate, the 8X and 9X siblings will sit above the existing Zeekr X compact SUV and popular 7X midsizer in the local lineup.
While both SUVs will launch exclusively with range-extender drivelines, Zeekr says their underlying engineering is rooted in battery electric (BEV) architectures while hinting that fully electric versions may come later.
“We started with a fully electric platform and then added the engine. From an engineering perspective, moving to a full BEV version would be relatively straightforward,” said Zeekr Europe chief engineer for mechanical architecture Kennet Pettersson.
Pictured: 2026 Zeekr 8X (overseas model shown)
Both SUVs ride on the latest 900-volt version of the Geely SEA-S platform and are designed to support ultra-fast charging across multiple powertrain configurations.
The approach mirrors a shift among Chinese and European manufacturers towards building cars atop flexible multi-powertrain platforms that can spawn BEV, PHEV and EREV setups.
In China, the 8X will be positioned above the 7X as a rival to the BMW X5 while the 9X, which is colloquially known as the ‘Hangzhou Bay Cullinan’ after its home city and visual analogue, pushes into Mercedes GLS territory.
Pictured: 2026 Zeekr 9X (overseas model shown)
Proportionally, the pair looks similar, but the dimensions give small differences away. The 8X measures 5100mm in length while the 9X stretches to 5239mm on a longer 3169mm wheelbase (versus 3069mm).
Chinese-market versions of the SUVs feature EREV powertrains pairing CATL Freevoy battery packs measuring 55kWh or 70kWh for an estimated electric-only driving range of 200–300km and total range of about 800–1000km.
A turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 205kW acts as a generator at lower speeds with the capacity to mechanically couple to drive the wheels at higher speeds.
Pictured: 2026 Zeekr 9X (overseas model shown)
Buyers can opt for either two or three electric motors for combined peak system outputs of 660kW/935Nm or 1030kW/1410Nm, with the triple-motor setup said to deliver 0-100km/h times of 2.96 seconds (8X) or 3.1 sec (9X).
The positioning of the smaller 7X in China may provide hints about the possible pricing of the 8X and 9X in Australia.
Chinese buyers pay between 229,800 CNY ($48,000) and 269,800 CNY ($57,000 AUD) for the 7X, with the 8X commanding a 43 percent premium and the 9X a 100 percent premium.
Pictured: 2026 Zeekr 9X (overseas model shown)
If those proportions were reflected locally, the 8X could kick off in Australia from around $85,000 and the 9X from $115,000.
By comparison, the BMW X5 xDrive50e plug-in hybrid is priced from $154,900 before on-road costs and discounting.