A distinctive exterior design, a premium interior, sustainable materials and, above all, lots of technology. This is the mix proposed by the Zeekr X, a compact crossover with electric propulsion built on the Geely group’s SEA platform (the same one that is the basis of the Volvo EX30 and the Smart #1). A test drive in Sweden gave us the opportunity not only to appreciate its dynamic qualities, but also to discover its interior in detail together with Tony Baho, CMF chief designer responsible for colors, materials and finishes of Zeekr X and all the models developed on this platform.
The car was designed in Gothenburg by the Zeekr team, which has been based in the brand new Geely Design Center for a few months now. “We knew from the beginning that this was an all-electric car. We had two orientations, one for an SUV with a more traditional character and one decidedly modern: we opted for the modern one,” says Baho. A modernity that on the outside is expressed by taut and dynamic lines, with a front consistent with the Zeekr 001 high-performance sedan.
Tony Baho, CMF chief designer responsible for colors, materials and finishes of Zeekr X
We approach the Zeekr X and, before opening the doors with frameless glass, we notice a small screen inserted in the B-pillar: the glossy black surface comes alive to display messages such as the state of charge of the battery or a “do not disturb” if the vehicle is stationary for a moment of rest for the driver. It’s just a taste of the on-board equipment in terms of infotainment and connectivity, with two HD screens – an 8.8-inch one behind the steering wheel for the digital instrumentation and a 14.6-inch floating screen in the center of the dashboard – and a head-up display with augmented reality, instruments with a very fast response thanks to the processing capacity of the Qualcomm 8155 chip.
The interior is valuabe for its modernity and the quality of the materials. “We have very high standards and we don’t use leather,” explains Baho, “for example the microfiber headliner, that we introduced on the 001, now we are working on a fully recycled version. Then we have this PU that deliberately doesn’t mimic the surface of leather, soft to the touch and perforated on the seats and side panels,” he says as he points to the small-hole design of the Shanghai skyline on the door trim. Chrome is also absent, for the finishes it was opted for PVD coating (Physical Vapor Deposition), a technology with which an ultra-thin metal film is deposited on different types of substrates. “It’ s also widely used in consumer electronics, for example the back of phones, it allows you to use colors, instead of the classic ‘silver’ of chrome. Thus, we chose a metal with a warm tone, in a single variant to ensure that all Zeekrs have a note of luxury and elegance.”
The car we tested combines white and blue, “inspired by yachts, with a striped pattern on the carpets. It is a bestseller in China, where we sell 35% with this blue-white version, always in combination with the warm-colored metal details. There is on the 001, X and 009 and others in the future, the range will be very consistent,” concludes Baho.
