Zeekr will begin taking orders for the Zeekr 001 and Zeekr X in Norway later this month, with the first customer deliveries occurring by the end of this year.

Zeekr (NYSE: ZK), the premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of the Geely Holding Group, announced its entry into the Norwegian automotive market, further expanding its presence in Europe after the Netherlands and Sweden.

The launch in Norway, one of the world's most developed EV markets, is a crucial strategic milestone in Zeekr's Europe strategy, the company said in a statement today.

The all-electric Zeekr 001 shooting brake and the Zeekr X compact SUV (sport utility vehicle) will be available for ordering in Norway later this month, with the first customer deliveries occurring by the end of this year, Zeekr said.

Norway is a key EV market, with more than 80 percent of new car sales being EVs, Zeekr's statement noted.

The EV maker has developed a retailer network in Norway to ensure a “seamless experience” for customers from test drives and configuration to orders and services.

Partners in the network, opening from October, starting with Premium Cars Stor-Oslo, followed by dealerships in other major cities, it said, adding that these will be complemented by a network of Zeekr-authorized service centers and workshops.

Zeekr has partnered with Plugsurfing to give customers access to more than 800,000 charging points across Europe via the Zeekr Charge App and charging RFID cards, according to the company.

Zeekr unveiled its European strategy in April 2023, expanding first into the Dutch and Swedish markets. The company began pre-sales of the Zeekr 001 and the Zeekr X in the Netherlands and Sweden at the end of June last year.

By the end of 2024, Zeekr would be in a cumulative total of six European countries, with an international presence in eight countries by 2025, the company had said.

The first Zeekr 001s built for European customers rolled off the production line at Zeekr's factory in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on August 2 last year, and those vehicles were shipped to Europe at the end of last August.

On December 9, Zeekr delivered the first European version of the Zeekr 001 in the Netherlands, marking the official start of its deliveries in Europe.

In addition to the Netherlands and Sweden, Zeekr also announced the start of pre-sales of the Zeekr 001 and Zeekr X in Germany last September. No further progress has been made since then, though.

The Zeekr 001, Zeekr's first model to be launched after its founding in 2021, has a WLTP range of up to 620 kilometers, and the single-motor long-range model available in Norway starts at 579,900 kroner ($54,000) including VAT.

The Zeekr X SUV has a WLTP range of up to 446 kilometers and starts at 424,900 kroner for the single-motor long-range model.

Zeekr delivered 21,333 vehicles in September, surpassing June's previous record of 20,106 vehicles to reach a record high and marking the second month above the 20,000 mark.

In the January-September period, Zeekr delivered 142,873 vehicles, a year-on-year growth of 80.79 percent. It is aiming to deliver 230,000 vehicles for the full year in 2024, double the 2023 figure.

($1 = NOK 10.7379)

Zeekr launches 009 MPV in Thailand, deliveries to start in Oct