Zeekr 001: a drift at over 200 km/h and a new record at stake

Through this record, which some might find a bit nonsensical, Zeekr wanted to demonstrate the effectiveness of its electric crossover 001.

To showcase a vehicle’s performance, the most obvious solution is to go to the Nurburgring and set an impressive lap time. For example, this is what Porsche recently did with its Taycan, which set a new record for an electric car on the German track.

The Chinese brand Zeekr, however, had a more original idea to attract attention to its crossover 001. Instead of heading to the Nordschleife, it aimed to set the record for the longest drift by an electric vehicle. Not only did it succeed, but it also set another record during the process: the fastest slalom, again for an electric car.

The Zeekr 001 drifts at over 200 km/h

To beat the record for the fastest drift in the electric car category, exceeding 160 km/h was necessary. The Zeekr 001 went much faster, reaching a top speed of 207.996 km/h. This performance, achieved in China, has been approved by Guinness World Records.

The other record was set during a slalom through 50 cones. The Zeekr 001 completed it in 49.05 seconds, without hitting or knocking over any cones.

Through this initiative, Zeekr aimed to highlight the efficacy and performance of its 001. Equipped with all-wheel drive, this crossover features two electric motors delivering a combined power of 543 hp and 700 Nm of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds.

Had it been a bit more power-hungry, the Chinese manufacturer could also have attempted to break the record for the longest drift by an electric vehicle. That record is currently held by the Porsche Taycan, which drifted for 42.171 km at an average speed of 46 km/h.

Read also: Over 1200 km on a single charge: another record for the Mercedes EQXX