Tesla's technological advances have long been the gold standard for electric vehicles, making the automaker the most profitable car company last year. But Chinese EV brand ZEEKR is reportedly turning up the heat on the competition after boldly calling out Tesla.
An executive at ZEEKR, founded just in 2021, told Electrek's Scooter Doll in October that the budding EV company is hoping to release a third car model in Europe soon.
The first releases were the flagship ZEEKR 001 and the ZEEKR X SUV. The latest model hitting the market will be a sports car called the ZEEKR 001 FR.
"Plaid is dull," ZEEKR (@ZEEKRGlobal) said on X, formerly known as Twitter, in August, referencing Tesla's Model S Plaid. "The #ZEEKR001FR is a new type of beast."
Plaid is dull. The #ZEEKR001FR is a new type of beast. Standby for more information. pic.twitter.com/phlcxiYcLG
— ZEEKR (@ZEEKRGlobal) August 10, 2023
Doll added that 001 FR accelerates from 0 to 62 mph even faster than Tesla's comparable model, beating the more established automaker by 0.03 seconds.
With a gallon of gasoline releasing approximately 20 pounds of heat-trapping gases when burned, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the rise of EVs is great news for our planet because they are responsible for less harmful pollution over their lifetimes.
EVs are typically more expensive to buy, but owners of the vehicles typically spend less on maintenance. Meanwhile, more market competition — including by the likes of companies like ZEEKR, Ford, and General Motors — has helped to lower EV prices overall.
While ZEEKR has already seen success in Europe, the continent's head of product and connectivity, Alessandro Massimino, recently told Automotive News Europe that the 001 FR could be the "halo model" — a representative of the brand's innovation that's meant to impress.
Some of the article's commenters seemed to agree with that assessment.
"Yum," one person wrote, while someone else called the 001 FR a "game-changer."
Another kept it direct, simply saying, "Yes, please."
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
