Zeekr launches Operation Tesla: Australia's newest Chinese electric car brand says all-new X SUV will take on the Tesla Model 3 and even the Model Y

Australia's newest Chinese electric car brand Zeekr says its debut EV in our market, the X, won't just take on the German premium players in BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, but will be putting the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y in its crosshairs.

That's the word from Zeekr VP of International, Mars Chen, who says the X's compact exterior footprint but spacious interior makes it a core rival for Australia's top-selling EVs.

"EVs in this moment, in many countries, are still not the majority. So people would like to compare what's available now," he says.

"So no doubt Model 3 is a very popular model from Tesla, and the Model Y is another, but a little bit bigger than the Zeekr X. So I would say that the customer who is interested to buy... might be also attracted to our X."

But the brand says it won't be stopping with Tesla, with its internal data showing most Zeekr customers are coming from what it calls "A, B, B", or Audi, BMW, 'Benz.

"In China, all the big customers, most of them have come from, A, B, B - what we call all the Audi, BMW, Benz brands. So that's why the premium segment is what we are (targeting)," Mr Chen says.

So the big questions is, just what is a Zeekr?

It’s a new brand from Geely, joining Volvo, Lotus, Polestar and others under the Chinese automotive giant’s ever-growing umbrella.

It’s coming to Australia, and the Zeekr X will be the first to arrive around October. It's a twin-under-the-skin to the just-launched Volvo EX30, though the Zeekr commands a slightly bigger footprint.

The Zeekr X.

The local details are yet to be confirmed, though we expect a 66kWh battery, which should mean a driving range in excess of 400kms in Australia, and it is set up for 150kW DC fast charging, too.

Documents lodged with the Australian government reveal up to four variants, starting with a 200kW/343Nm rear-wheel-drive option certified with 18-inch wheels or optional 19-inch wheels.

The documents do not list driving range but the 19-inch wheeled model is certified up to 446km in the WLTP combined cycle from its 66kWh battery pack.

An AWD version adds a 115kW motor on the front axle upping outputs to 315kW and 543Nm, and dropping the claimed 0-100km/h sprint to 3.8 seconds. Driving range falls to 425km WLTP as a result.

The price? Expect it to start around $60k in Australia, putting it on a collision course with the Volvo.