Zeekr confirms new 8X flagship PHEV SUV, launch in H1 2026

On January 5th, Zeekr officially announced that its new SUV will be named Zeekr 8X, positioned as a high-performance flagship SUV. The Zeekr 8X is expected to be launched in the first half of 2026, with an estimated starting price of 430,000 yuan (61,500 USD), according to reports. For reference, the Zeekr 9X is priced between 465,900 and 599,900 yuan (66,600 and 85,800 USD).

The Zeekr 8X is built on the SEA-S (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform and is expected to feature a 900V high-voltage architecture, Haohan AI Digital Chassis, and a similar plug-in hybrid powertrain as the Zeekr 9X, including three electric motors and 6C fast-charging battery.

With the Haohan AI Digital Chassis, in extreme scenarios with simultaneous tire blowouts on both wheels on the same side of a wet, slippery road at 120 km/h, the vehicle can still brake safely and stably, according to the official. In off-road scenarios, it allows the vehicle to automatically recognize seven terrains such as deep snow, mud, sand, and rocks, and can intelligently match the corresponding driving mode.

Based on the currently camouflage images, the Zeekr 8X largely retains the exterior design of the Zeekr 9X. From the side, the Zeekr 8X is equipped with conventional door handles, complemented by gloss black wheels and red brake calipers.

At the same time, the overall size appears to be smaller than the Zeekr 9X. For reference, the Zeekr 9X has dimensions of 5239/2029/1819 mm (l/w/h) and a wheelbase of 3169 mm. The Zeekr 8X is expected to have a length of around 5.1 meters and a wheelbase of around 3.1 meters, and may offer 5/6/7-seat configurations.

A roof lidar is also present. Similar to the Zeekr 9X, the Zeekr 8X is expected to offer Geely’s G-Pilot H7 and H9 level 3 advanced driving assistance solutions, depending on the trims. The G-Pilot H7 features a Nvidia Drive Thor-U chip, boasting a computing power of 700 TOPS, while the H9 features dual Nvidia Drive Thor-U chips.

(CNC)