The world had a hard time accepting Chinese vehicle brands when they came into the market a few years ago. Even though we all know that many car parts (if not most) are produced in China, somehow the idea of an entire car being produced and assembled there did not sit right with consumers, who had trouble separating some of the (sometimes deserved) safety stereotypes that the country has from the import regulations that the cars would have had to pass to be able to drive in Europe or even the states.
This reticence to accept the new Chinese cars was compounded by the fact that the price of the cars was extremely competitive, and somehow, the lower price tag made them even more undesirable for consumers, even during times of economic uncertainty when many were struggling to make ends meet, they would not give these new brands a chance.
Luckily, both for consumers and for the Chinese producers, this reticence was overcome fairly quickly in the grand scheme of things, as these new vehicles have proven to be amongst the safest in the market and at a price point that is really hard to argue with.
The new Chinese cars that are impressing the market
Although Chinese cars are much cheaper than their Western or Japanese counterparts, they usually come packed with features even in the base models, especially when it comes to safety tech. Since production is cheaper in China, this allows them to put some of the savings into the features that buyers appreciate, and it has definitely paid off.
The Zeekr X, an electric SUV made by Geely’s Chinese brand Zeekr, passed the Euro NCAP safety tests with flying colors, earning the top spot in its category. It earned five stars and scored high across all four test areas: adult occupant safety (91%), child safety (90%), vulnerable road users (84%), and driver assistance systems (83%). Thanks to its impressive scores it has earned titles for “Best Small SUV” and “Best Pure Electric Car” in its Euro NCAP class, almost leaving behind the top scorer of the test, which was the Mercedes E-Class.
While this model is still not available in all of Europe, places like Sweden, the Netherlands, and Norway have already seen a fair number of sales. The Zeekr X is a compact electric SUV measuring 4.43 meters long, 1.83 meters wide, and 1.56 meters tall, with a wheelbase of 2.75 meters. That means it comfortably fits five people and still leaves room for a 360-liter trunk. It comes in two versions, a single-motor, rear-wheel drive and a dual-motor, all-wheel drive. Both versions have over 400km of range, making them a solid option, especially for city dwellers.
– Single-motor, rear-wheel drive: 200 kW (272 hp) with a 69 kWh battery, offering a range of 446 km.
– Dual-motor, all-wheel drive: 315 kW (428 hp) with the same 69 kWh battery but slightly less range at 425 km, due to added weight and power.
The pricing has been known to vary from country to country, but, for example, in the Netherlands the rear-wheel drive version starts at €42,490, while the all-wheel drive model goes for €47,490.
Because of all the good qualities mentioned, it is now making waves as one of the safest small electric SUVs out there, but it is not the only car that has managed to impress. Other names like BYD, MG, and Omoda are becoming quickly household names and are rapidly increasing their sales, helping customers see that quality and a good process can go hand in hand without compromising on important features like safety.
