Zeekr, a rising Chinese electric vehicle brand, enhances its lineup with the Mix, a fully electric van unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show. Notable for its unique sliding doors and spacious interior, it offers a luxurious cabin with advanced technology. The Mix features a powerful rear motor and options for two battery sizes, achieving impressive ranges and rapid charging times. Priced at approximately €36,500 and €39,000, it’s positioned as a strong competitor to the Volkswagen ID. Buzz.
Zeekr is gaining attention in the automotive world, primarily due to its impressive line of electric vehicles that blend cutting-edge technology with competitive pricing.
The latest addition to their lineup is the Mix, a fully electric van that made its debut at the Beijing Motor Show in March. As of now, it’s available for purchase in China, offering prospective buyers a glimpse into its practical design on the official website.
Unique Door Design
The Zeekr Mix’s exterior is striking, sharing a van-like silhouette similar to the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, with dimensions of 4.69 meters in length, 1.99 meters in width, and 1.77 meters in height.
True to Zeekr’s design ethos, the Mix features a customizable 2.41-meter LED strip known as the Stargate and smooth contours inspired by the Tiangong space station.
However, the standout feature of the Mix is its doors. On the right side, both doors slide open, allowing a generous 1.48 meters of access without a central pillar. The left side includes a traditional driver’s door while the rear door also slides for convenience.
Spacious Interior
These innovative doors lead to an impressively roomy interior, designed with passenger comfort in mind. The front seats can rotate to face the back, where passengers benefit from an extraordinary 96 cm of legroom.
Additionally, Zeekr promises a substantial trunk space of 568 liters, ensuring practicality isn’t compromised for comfort.
The dashboard is equipped with advanced technology, featuring two displays: a 13.02-inch screen for the driver and a larger 15.05-inch screen at the center for controls and information.
The interior includes a standard glass roof and luxurious Nappa leather upholstery. All seats come with heating, massage, and ventilation features, complemented by a central sliding console that houses storage compartments and a refrigerator. For audio enthusiasts, there’s a powerful 21-speaker sound system delivering 2,160 watts of bass.
Performance and Battery Options
On the mechanical front, the Zeekr Mix offers a simplified configuration with just one rear-mounted motor delivering 421 hp (310 kW). This design allows for a tight turning radius of 9.9 meters, fitting for urban driving.
Two battery options are available. The first is the in-house developed Golden Brick, which features a 76 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery and boasts a range of 550 km on a single charge according to the CLTC cycle, which translates to approximately 470 km under the more stringent European WLTP standard.
A remarkable aspect of the Golden Brick is its rapid recharging, utilizing an 800-volt architecture and a 5.5 C charging capability, reaching from 10% to 80% in just 10.5 minutes.
For those seeking extended range, a second battery option is offered—a 102 kWh pack from CATL called Qilin, which provides a driving range of 702 km CLTC (around 600 km WLTP). Recharging for this option is still impressive, taking 15 minutes to go from 10% to 80%.
Competitive Pricing
Pricing for the Mix starts at 279,900 yuan for the smaller battery and 299,900 yuan for the larger version, translating to approximately €36,500 and €39,000 respectively. These prices are indeed higher than the recently launched Zeekr 7X SUV, but the Mix offers extensive features and amenities.
As Zeekr expands its presence in Europe, set to include France by 2025, it remains to be seen how the Mix will be priced in this market, especially with potential tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles looming from the European Commission.
Regardless, the Zeekr Mix emerges as a strong contender against the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and offers a refreshing alternative to the myriad of electric SUVs on the market today. Is the minivan poised for a renaissance in the automotive industry?