Chinese premium carmaker Zeekr said Thursday that orders for its flagship 9X hybrid SUV have exceeded expectations.
The Hangzhou-headquartered company launched the model in September and is now being forced to extend delivery timelines and offer compensation to customers facing delays due to supply chain constraints.
The Geely-backed premium brand said in a notice to customers that early reservation deposits for the 9X Hyper and Black versions “far exceeded expectations,” while supply fluctuations of specialized core components have affected delivery times for some orders.
“Since the Zeekr 9X launch, popularity has continued to rise with orders exceeding expectations,” the company said.
“As a new generation luxury flagship, the Zeekr 9X features numerous industry-leading technology configurations, which has also brought rapid challenges to production capacity,” the brand added.
Delivery Timeline
Zeekr said it has made progress ramping up production capacity through joint efforts with supply chain partners.
The 9X Max and Ultra versions have achieved stable production capacity improvement, with delivery cycles shortened to 2-6 weeks, the company said. The Ultra version equipped with active suspension now has an estimated delivery cycle of 4-8 weeks.
However, customers who ordered the Hyper and Black versions face longer waits.
According to the company’s updated delivery schedule, orders currently showing 11-14 weeks in the app will be updated to February 15 onwards, while those showing 15-18 weeks will receive delivery between February 26 and March 26.
Orders showing 19-22 weeks are expected between March 27 and April 15, while those showing 21-26 weeks will depend on production capacity improvements expected in March.
Compensation Program
To compensate customer’s longer waits, Zeekr announced a new “9X Exclusive Appreciation Fund” that will offset vehicle payments for delayed deliveries.
Customers whose vehicles exceed the latest estimated delivery date shown in the app will receive 200 yuan ($29) per day in credits, up to a maximum of 12,000 yuan ($1,730), which will be applied directly to the vehicle’s final payment upon delivery.
“We deeply understand that waiting is not easy,” the company said. “To thank you for your support and patience, we are upgrading the waiting benefits for Zeekr 9X full series models.”
9X Launch
Launched on September 29, the Zeekr 9X is the brand’s first hybrid model after releasing multiple battery electric vehicles.
The six-seat full-size luxury SUV is priced starting at 465,900 yuan ($67,000), ranking among the most expensive models from Chinese domestic brands.
The 9X surpassed 10,000 deliveries in December alone, marking initial success for a luxury model from a Chinese domestic brand, Zeekr said on Weibo earlier this month without specifying exact figures.
Measuring 5,239 millimeters long, 2,019 millimeters wide, and 1,819 millimeters tall with a 3,169-millimeter wheelbase, the 9X ranks among the largest vehicles in the Chinese market.
The hybrid SUV offers battery packs with 55 kWh and 70 kWh capacities, delivering a CLTC electric range of 300 to 380 kilometers — equivalent to 186 to 236 miles.
Nio’s upcoming ES9 SUV, set to become the brand’s largest model ever once it launches in April, is 5,365 mm long.
