Zeekr provokes Tesla by calling its Plaid “dull”

The new brand of the Geely group has teased a sporty version of its 001 sedan while throwing a jab at Tesla Plaid.

Towards a new clash of titans. Geely, the largest Chinese automotive group, has imperialist ambitions across the entire planet. With its international brands Volvo, Smart, Lotus, and now Zeekr—not to mention others currently reserved for its domestic market and unknown to us—its factories, including those in the United States (important for eligibility for U.S. federal aid), give Geely all the cards to become a giant in today’s and tomorrow’s automotive world.

And when you want to make a splash, the simplest way is often to challenge the market leader, as an ambitious boxer would do. In Europe, Zeekr began its deployment in 2023 via Sweden and the Netherlands first, before aiming higher in 2024. The 001 sedan is already available for order, and the steamroller Zeekr X (rebranded Volvo EX30) will be even more popular.

Zeekr posted on the social network X (formerly Twitter and owned by Elon Musk… the largest shareholder of Tesla) a tweet revealing a very sporty version of the 001 called 001 FR. It is photographed on a circuit to leave no doubt: this car has a true sporty vocation. In the caption, Zeekr wrote: “Plaid is dull. The #ZEEKR001FR is a new kind of beast” : “The Plaid is dull. The #ZEEKR001FR is a new kind of beast.” Plaid being Tesla’s ultra-performance label with insane powers over 1000 horsepower for the Model S, for example.

Patience before the full reveal of this Zeekr 001 FR, but it is forbidden to disappoint after such a provocation. As a reminder, the current most powerful model in this lineup develops 400 kW (about 545 hp) and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. To match (or beat at a lower price) the Tesla Model S Plaid, it must double all these figures. Beware of the boastfulness.

READ ALSO: Volvo EX30 – Smart #1 – Zeekr X: their surprising common point