Zeekr is finally in Singapore. What's next?
21 Aug 2024|6,934 views
This is not the first - not even the second, or third - time that Alex Bao, Head of SEA Region at Zeekr, is making a stop in Singapore. But the motoring landscape here looks considerably different now than in his first memories of it.
"I started visiting Leng Kee Road about five or six years ago. You can really witness the changes here," he says with a light chuckle. "These are the same buildings, but they've been renovated into new brands."
Leng Kee Road recently welcomed a fresh tenant in the form of the newly-opened Zeekr Centre Singapore at 9 Leng Kee Road. Here, Singaporeans can come up close with the Zeekr X (Pictured next to Mr. Alex Bao, Head of SEA Region at Zeekr)
Part of this observation is self-referential, of course.
The morning we speak to him marks the grand opening day of the first-ever local Zeekr Centre. Located at 9 Leng Kee Road, the luxury boutique-like space replaces the Audi pre-owned showroom previously operated by Premium Automobile (which now shepherds the Zeekr brand in Singapore too). It also follows a splashy launch event just the evening before at the ArtScience Museum, which saw the unveiling of the Zeekr X.
Boldly styled, heavy on tech, and boasting performance car-like power, the X enters one of the most hotly-contested fields in the market today: Of compact electric crossovers. It’s also the latest in a seemingly never-ending string of relatively unknown Chinese names to make landfall over the last two to three years.
The Zeekr X marks the brand's first model in Singapore, and joins an increasing crowded field of electric crossovers on the market today
Having worked with Chinese brands in the Southeast Asian region for a good 12 years already, Alex has been there since day one. Reflecting on the rapid growth of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) industry, he recounts that "the first years were very hard". (The mind struggles to recall any presence from Chinese brands in Singapore back in 2012. For context, the first BYD e6 went on sale in Singapore in 2019).
Still, he quickly follows up with the counter-note that "EVs are a very good opportunity, and a turning point".
"This is the first generation of products [for which] we can say [that our components], on a technical level, are more advanced than those used by our competitors." This factor, he explains, is the reason why Chinese EV brands have risen to the forefront of the EV industry with such aggression.
The differentiating factor: 'Deep roots, lush leaves'
The English language sometimes fails at conveying ideas in the most needle-accurate manner. As such, to explain what sets it apart from the competition, Zeekr is instead pointing us to a Chinese saying: 根深叶茂 (gēn shēn yè maò).
Word for word, the term loosely translates into 'deep roots, lush leaves (or foliage)'. More specifically, however, it posits that something built on firm and strong foundation will flourish.
With Zeekr, what many may see merely as a rapidly-expanding three-year old upstart actually draws deep from more than thirty years of history within its parent: China's Geely Group. Or perhaps even more if we're looking at the cumulative history of all the names the Group has come to steward over the years.
Geely Group today comprises both international heavyweights such as Lotus and Volvo, as well as entirely homegrown giants
This spread of brands isn't monotonous either. We're talking known international heavyweights in safety (Volvo), electrification (Polestar), and even performance (Lotus). Alex also states that Geely's homegrown brands are hard-hitters in their own right, including both passenger-car names like Galaxy, and those in the commercial vehicle field, such as Farizon and Radar Auto.
EVs have brought with them an era of upheaval, with even legacy carmakers relying on shared R&D to get their cars off their ground.
Tesla, arguable poster child of the electric revolution, may have made its early dominance of the market thus far look easy. But with its dogged insistence on doing nearly everything in-house, it's worth remembering that it wasn't till 2017 that the first Model 3s rolled off its factory floors. That was nearly a decade after it released its pioneering model: The Lotus Elise-based Tesla Roadster.
Underpinning the Zeekr X is the Geely Group-developed Sustainable Experience Architecture - which it shares with cars like the smart #1 and the Volvo EX30
"The good thing is that we can share technologies, platforms, and manufacturing know-hows. Because if you start from scratch, it takes many, many years," Alex points out.
On the surface, the line between being intimately familiar with The Expertise, and simply procuring it off the shelf of another brand, may seem like a fine one. Peer closer, however, he proffers, and one will find that it is actually rather significant, for it shapes entire approaches to developing a car.
"People say that EVs are easier to make; anybody can do an EV. That's true, and also not so true. Yeah, of course you can buy something... But you will never have your own know-how about it."
Design and technology may be the most immediate qualities of the Zeekr brand - but dig deeper and one will find that safety and performance also form important pillars
Most immediately, what should strike the casual observer first are Zeekr's ostensible focuses on design and technology. But pulling from its deep roots have allowed it to quickly tackle two other aspects - less immediately visible, but no less vital - that function as unshakeable pillars to its brand: Safety and performance.
The X arrives onto the market with a full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Specifically, speaking to its impressive structural integrity are its ratings within the Adult Occupant and Child Occupant metrics, where it scored 91% and 90% respectively.
In fact, the Geely-developed Sustainable Experience Architecture on which the Zeekr X rides is so robust, it appears to have enjoyed 'reverse appreciation'. Volvo, known for its unwavering safety emphasis (as mentioned earlier), utilises it for its smallest member, the EX30.
In its compact crossover segment, the X is also rivalled by few competitors in terms of performance, with the dual-motor variant blazing up the century sprint in a dizzying 3.8 seconds.
The premium question - as well as what's next for Singapore
Both qualities, in turn, are key to the larger question and challenge that Zeekr is now aiming to tackle. Electric Chinese brands may be plentiful, but none have positioned themselves in as upmarket a manner as Zeekr.
"Theoretically, we are the first Chinese premium EV brand into the Singapore market, and also the ASEAN market. People may doubt it: 'Oh, why do you say you're premium? What sort of 'premium' factor do you have?' This is the biggest challenge," Alex readily admits.
That may explain why the brand's focus for now isn't on setting any sorts of sales records in Singapore. When we point out that a fellow Chinese brand is currently on top of the leaderboard for new car registrations, he is quick to counter that Zeekr has the longer-term in mind.
Broadening the brand's reach - and letting new customers come up close to experience the cars themselves - appears to be Zeekr's strategy for the near future
"We are now already in the third quarter, so instead of setting some particular target for sales, I think what we want to do - at least within this year's time - is to have more customer test drives, roadshows, and pop-up stores."
The ultimate goal, he reiterates, is "to set up a really premium brand. This is more important than just a figure. So we're not saying we are going to sell 10,000 or something units."
Nonetheless, don't mistake this branding-focused strategy for a lack of ambition, for the leaves are growing lusher by the day. With cumulative deliveries eclipsing the 300,000 line as of end-July, Zeekr's expansion plan is still on track, as it now makes new inroads into over 30 countries. In Asia alone, Singapore marks the fifth market in which it has launched, with four more to go still.
The 009, pictured here in diecast model form at Zeekr Centre Singapore, is a luxury MPV that will soon be launched here. More right-hand drive models - some of which have yet to be unveiled entirely - are set to arrive on our shores in the future
Furthermore, considering that Zeekr intends for its right-hand drive markets to get a fully synchronised lineup, it also has economies of scale to benefit from. This should ultimately bode well for customers, whether in terms of pricing or availability.
We already know the 009 MPV's Singapore launch is imminent, but when we ask whether some of the left-hand drive models in Europe and China - such as the 001 - will eventually arrive too, Alex throws us another surprise instead.
"Beyond talking about current models, we're actually even considering more about future models," he reveals.
"Because if you do [have these discussions about left-hand drive models] now, it takes some time - several months, even one year. After that, the current ones may start to feel outdated," he explains. "This is already in our plan: More and more new models (for the global right-hand drive portfolio)."
Zeekr believes Singapore's tax-heavy car market actually presents the right conditions for premium brands like itself to thrive (Pictured: Crowds thronging the BMW and Mercedes-Benz booths at The Car Expo in April this year)
Singapore's special status
Alex, who is from Shanghai, further notes that Singapore's notorious reputation for sky-high car prices - especially right now - may counterintuitively present the right conditions of entry. Apart from being financial hubs with hyper-affluent residents, the two cities share another similarity:
"Shanghai also has a COE system of sorts, with which registration (of a car) incurs quite a lot of taxes. But the good thing is that this has made the luxury and premium brands take over 20%, even 30% of the market," he points out.
"So, people may think once they're getting a car: 'If I have the budget for the car already, why not choose a good car? The best car for me.' This may be a good chance for premium brands like Zeekr."
Mr. Mars Chen, Vice President of Zeekr, believes that as Singapore's EV market matures, so too will buyer expectations increase
The evening before, Mr. Mars Chen, Vice President of Zeekr, had expressed at the launch of the Zeekr X the brand's belief that with the country's maturing EV transition, a desire now exists among buyers for "EVs that go beyond being simply a form of conveyance, to offering a premium driving experience with conveniences that elevate urban living".
Electric cars have undeniably gained a strong foothold in Singapore - but consumer expectations are ever-shifting. Simultaneously, Alex reveals that Zeekr has already identified segments for which "there are still no EV brands or EV products".
He understands that fleshing out the Zeekr brand in full to customers will not be an overnight process.
As we've seen (and still see) from Singapore's most successful premium brands, brand loyalty - when done right - can resist the choppiest of waters. Still, these are names that were around even before most drivers on the road today were born.
While Zeekr is aware that convincing the general public of its premium proposition remains its biggest challenge, it is confident that customers will be won over with time as they get to experience the cars for themselves
The runway to achieving recognition will ideally be far shorter for Zeekr. Regardless, time will be one of the biggest factors - "to let the customers know our brand product" and "deepen their understanding" about the cars. As many luxury-skewing brands are increasingly doing - and highlighting in their marketing efforts - today, curating the customer journey, from the showroom to the aftersales experience, will also be vital to the "whole premium eco-system".
Ultimately, however, Zeekr believes the proof is in the experience of the cars themselves.
"For the product itself, if you really go and touch and experience it, you will see that this is a perfect combination of European design and platform, plus Chinese technology and intelligence," he asserts. It's something we're inclined to agree with ourselves, based on our time so far with the Zeekr X.
The biggest challenge may indeed be convincing customers of what it is already so convicted of itself: Its upmarket proposition. Still, standing on the shoulders of its giant parent (and siblings), with incredible results to show already from a three-year run - and arriving as the wheels of change in Singapore are really in motion - Zeekr is also very confident: "[That] finally customers will go, 'Oh wow, this is truly premium.'"
Here are a few other stories that may be of interest to you!
Should we be paying closer attention to Chinese EVs?
Zeekr is determined to not just be another EV brand
Tesla is cool, but check out these 5 EVs that we aren't getting!
This is not the first - not even the second, or third - time that Alex Bao, Head of SEA Region at Zeekr, is making a stop in Singapore. But the motoring landscape here looks considerably different now than in his first memories of it.
"I started visiting Leng Kee Road about five or six years ago. You can really witness the changes here," he says with a light chuckle. "These are the same buildings, but they've been renovated into new brands."
Leng Kee Road recently welcomed a fresh tenant in the form of the newly-opened Zeekr Centre Singapore at 9 Leng Kee Road. Here, Singaporeans can come up close with the Zeekr X (Pictured next to Mr. Alex Bao, Head of SEA Region at Zeekr)
Part of this observation is self-referential, of course.
The morning we speak to him marks the grand opening day of the first-ever local Zeekr Centre. Located at 9 Leng Kee Road, the luxury boutique-like space replaces the Audi pre-owned showroom previously operated by Premium Automobile (which now shepherds the Zeekr brand in Singapore too). It also follows a splashy launch event just the evening before at the ArtScience Museum, which saw the unveiling of the Zeekr X.
Boldly styled, heavy on tech, and boasting performance car-like power, the X enters one of the most hotly-contested fields in the market today: Of compact electric crossovers. It’s also the latest in a seemingly never-ending string of relatively unknown Chinese names to make landfall over the last two to three years.
The Zeekr X marks the brand's first model in Singapore, and joins an increasing crowded field of electric crossovers on the market today
Having worked with Chinese brands in the Southeast Asian region for a good 12 years already, Alex has been there since day one. Reflecting on the rapid growth of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) industry, he recounts that "the first years were very hard". (The mind struggles to recall any presence from Chinese brands in Singapore back in 2012. For context, the first BYD e6 went on sale in Singapore in 2019).
Still, he quickly follows up with the counter-note that "EVs are a very good opportunity, and a turning point".
"This is the first generation of products [for which] we can say [that our components], on a technical level, are more advanced than those used by our competitors." This factor, he explains, is the reason why Chinese EV brands have risen to the forefront of the EV industry with such aggression.
The differentiating factor: 'Deep roots, lush leaves'
The English language sometimes fails at conveying ideas in the most needle-accurate manner. As such, to explain what sets it apart from the competition, Zeekr is instead pointing us to a Chinese saying: 根深叶茂 (gēn shēn yè maò).
Word for word, the term loosely translates into 'deep roots, lush leaves (or foliage)'. More specifically, however, it posits that something built on firm and strong foundation will flourish.
With Zeekr, what many may see merely as a rapidly-expanding three-year old upstart actually draws deep from more than thirty years of history within its parent: China's Geely Group. Or perhaps even more if we're looking at the cumulative history of all the names the Group has come to steward over the years.
Geely Group today comprises both international heavyweights such as Lotus and Volvo, as well as entirely homegrown giants
This spread of brands isn't monotonous either. We're talking known international heavyweights in safety (Volvo), electrification (Polestar), and even performance (Lotus). Alex also states that Geely's homegrown brands are hard-hitters in their own right, including both passenger-car names like Galaxy, and those in the commercial vehicle field, such as Farizon and Radar Auto.
EVs have brought with them an era of upheaval, with even legacy carmakers relying on shared R&D to get their cars off their ground.
Tesla, arguable poster child of the electric revolution, may have made its early dominance of the market thus far look easy. But with its dogged insistence on doing nearly everything in-house, it's worth remembering that it wasn't till 2017 that the first Model 3s rolled off its factory floors. That was nearly a decade after it released its pioneering model: The Lotus Elise-based Tesla Roadster.
Underpinning the Zeekr X is the Geely Group-developed Sustainable Experience Architecture - which it shares with cars like the smart #1 and the Volvo EX30
"The good thing is that we can share technologies, platforms, and manufacturing know-hows. Because if you start from scratch, it takes many, many years," Alex points out.
On the surface, the line between being intimately familiar with The Expertise, and simply procuring it off the shelf of another brand, may seem like a fine one. Peer closer, however, he proffers, and one will find that it is actually rather significant, for it shapes entire approaches to developing a car.
"People say that EVs are easier to make; anybody can do an EV. That's true, and also not so true. Yeah, of course you can buy something... But you will never have your own know-how about it."
Design and technology may be the most immediate qualities of the Zeekr brand - but dig deeper and one will find that safety and performance also form important pillars
Most immediately, what should strike the casual observer first are Zeekr's ostensible focuses on design and technology. But pulling from its deep roots have allowed it to quickly tackle two other aspects - less immediately visible, but no less vital - that function as unshakeable pillars to its brand: Safety and performance.
The X arrives onto the market with a full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Specifically, speaking to its impressive structural integrity are its ratings within the Adult Occupant and Child Occupant metrics, where it scored 91% and 90% respectively.
In fact, the Geely-developed Sustainable Experience Architecture on which the Zeekr X rides is so robust, it appears to have enjoyed 'reverse appreciation'. Volvo, known for its unwavering safety emphasis (as mentioned earlier), utilises it for its smallest member, the EX30.
In its compact crossover segment, the X is also rivalled by few competitors in terms of performance, with the dual-motor variant blazing up the century sprint in a dizzying 3.8 seconds.
The premium question - as well as what's next for Singapore
Both qualities, in turn, are key to the larger question and challenge that Zeekr is now aiming to tackle. Electric Chinese brands may be plentiful, but none have positioned themselves in as upmarket a manner as Zeekr.
"Theoretically, we are the first Chinese premium EV brand into the Singapore market, and also the ASEAN market. People may doubt it: 'Oh, why do you say you're premium? What sort of 'premium' factor do you have?' This is the biggest challenge," Alex readily admits.
That may explain why the brand's focus for now isn't on setting any sorts of sales records in Singapore. When we point out that a fellow Chinese brand is currently on top of the leaderboard for new car registrations, he is quick to counter that Zeekr has the longer-term in mind.
Broadening the brand's reach - and letting new customers come up close to experience the cars themselves - appears to be Zeekr's strategy for the near future
"We are now already in the third quarter, so instead of setting some particular target for sales, I think what we want to do - at least within this year's time - is to have more customer test drives, roadshows, and pop-up stores."
The ultimate goal, he reiterates, is "to set up a really premium brand. This is more important than just a figure. So we're not saying we are going to sell 10,000 or something units."
Nonetheless, don't mistake this branding-focused strategy for a lack of ambition, for the leaves are growing lusher by the day. With cumulative deliveries eclipsing the 300,000 line as of end-July, Zeekr's expansion plan is still on track, as it now makes new inroads into over 30 countries. In Asia alone, Singapore marks the fifth market in which it has launched, with four more to go still.
The 009, pictured here in diecast model form at Zeekr Centre Singapore, is a luxury MPV that will soon be launched here. More right-hand drive models - some of which have yet to be unveiled entirely - are set to arrive on our shores in the future
Furthermore, considering that Zeekr intends for its right-hand drive markets to get a fully synchronised lineup, it also has economies of scale to benefit from. This should ultimately bode well for customers, whether in terms of pricing or availability.
We already know the 009 MPV's Singapore launch is imminent, but when we ask whether some of the left-hand drive models in Europe and China - such as the 001 - will eventually arrive too, Alex throws us another surprise instead.
"Beyond talking about current models, we're actually even considering more about future models," he reveals.
"Because if you do [have these discussions about left-hand drive models] now, it takes some time - several months, even one year. After that, the current ones may start to feel outdated," he explains. "This is already in our plan: More and more new models (for the global right-hand drive portfolio)."
Zeekr believes Singapore's tax-heavy car market actually presents the right conditions for premium brands like itself to thrive (Pictured: Crowds thronging the BMW and Mercedes-Benz booths at The Car Expo in April this year)
Singapore's special status
Alex, who is from Shanghai, further notes that Singapore's notorious reputation for sky-high car prices - especially right now - may counterintuitively present the right conditions of entry. Apart from being financial hubs with hyper-affluent residents, the two cities share another similarity:
"Shanghai also has a COE system of sorts, with which registration (of a car) incurs quite a lot of taxes. But the good thing is that this has made the luxury and premium brands take over 20%, even 30% of the market," he points out.
"So, people may think once they're getting a car: 'If I have the budget for the car already, why not choose a good car? The best car for me.' This may be a good chance for premium brands like Zeekr."
Mr. Mars Chen, Vice President of Zeekr, believes that as Singapore's EV market matures, so too will buyer expectations increase
The evening before, Mr. Mars Chen, Vice President of Zeekr, had expressed at the launch of the Zeekr X the brand's belief that with the country's maturing EV transition, a desire now exists among buyers for "EVs that go beyond being simply a form of conveyance, to offering a premium driving experience with conveniences that elevate urban living".
Electric cars have undeniably gained a strong foothold in Singapore - but consumer expectations are ever-shifting. Simultaneously, Alex reveals that Zeekr has already identified segments for which "there are still no EV brands or EV products".
He understands that fleshing out the Zeekr brand in full to customers will not be an overnight process.
As we've seen (and still see) from Singapore's most successful premium brands, brand loyalty - when done right - can resist the choppiest of waters. Still, these are names that were around even before most drivers on the road today were born.
While Zeekr is aware that convincing the general public of its premium proposition remains its biggest challenge, it is confident that customers will be won over with time as they get to experience the cars for themselves
The runway to achieving recognition will ideally be far shorter for Zeekr. Regardless, time will be one of the biggest factors - "to let the customers know our brand product" and "deepen their understanding" about the cars. As many luxury-skewing brands are increasingly doing - and highlighting in their marketing efforts - today, curating the customer journey, from the showroom to the aftersales experience, will also be vital to the "whole premium eco-system".
Ultimately, however, Zeekr believes the proof is in the experience of the cars themselves.
"For the product itself, if you really go and touch and experience it, you will see that this is a perfect combination of European design and platform, plus Chinese technology and intelligence," he asserts. It's something we're inclined to agree with ourselves, based on our time so far with the Zeekr X.
The biggest challenge may indeed be convincing customers of what it is already so convicted of itself: Its upmarket proposition. Still, standing on the shoulders of its giant parent (and siblings), with incredible results to show already from a three-year run - and arriving as the wheels of change in Singapore are really in motion - Zeekr is also very confident: "[That] finally customers will go, 'Oh wow, this is truly premium.'"
Here are a few other stories that may be of interest to you!
Should we be paying closer attention to Chinese EVs?
Zeekr is determined to not just be another EV brand
Tesla is cool, but check out these 5 EVs that we aren't getting!
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