Zeekr 9X: Five LiDARs + 1,400 Horsepower – Can This "Specs Monster" Break Into the Large SUV Market?

2025 is hailed as the "year of battle among the gods" for large-sized SUVs, with major players entering the fray one after another and the competition reaching a white-hot intensity. Zeekr is making a strong foray with its flagship SUV, the Zeekr 9X. Even before the official pre-sale begins, the physical vehicles arriving at stores have already sparked widespread attention, undoubtedly adding more fuel to this fierce battle.

The design of the Zeekr 9X is uniquely crafted, and at first glance, many of its elements bear a striking resemblance to classic luxury cars in terms of aesthetic essence. The waterfall-style chrome grille, mirror-forged wheels, and the square, powerfully contoured body shape not only pay homage to classic luxury vehicles but also continue Zeekr's family design language. After all, elements like the waterfall grille were already used on the Zeekr 009. In terms of dimensions, the Zeekr 9X demonstrates strong dominance. Its length, width, and height are 5239x2029x1819mm, with a wheelbase of 3169mm, comprehensively surpassing the AITO M9. With such a large body size, even as a 6-seater model, its interior space is highly likely to stand out in the large SUV market, offering passengers a spacious and comfortable riding experience.

The Zeekr 9X can be called a "specs hoarder" when it comes to configurations, incorporating all the popular comfort and entertainment features of the moment. The dual zero-gravity seats make passengers feel as if they are floating on clouds, enjoying ultimate comfort; the ceiling-mounted entertainment screen and rear-seat control panel provide abundant entertainment options for backseat passengers, making long journeys no longer boring; the built-in refrigerator even caters to people's needs for cold drinks and food preservation, enhancing the convenience of travel.

When it comes to intelligent features and powertrain configurations, the Zeekr 9X also spares no expense. In terms of intelligent driving, it is equipped with Geely's self-developed Qianli Haohan (Vast Miles) H9 solution, with a total of 43 perception units throughout the vehicle. Among them, the configuration of LiDAR is particularly striking. In the era when LiDAR was once prohibitively expensive, models equipped with a single LiDAR could already be classified as high-end new energy vehicles. However, the Zeekr 9X is actually fitted with five LiDARs, including one 520-line LiDAR with the strongest performance and four solid-state LiDARs. This will undoubtedly provide strong perception capabilities for its intelligent driving system, significantly enhancing driving safety and intelligent standards.

In terms of the powertrain system, the Zeekr 9X takes an unconventional approach by adopting a plug-in hybrid system – the Haohan Super Electric Hybrid composed of a 2.0T engine and three electric motors. The three motors can output 1,400 horsepower, and together with the engine's own 279 horsepower, the vehicle achieves a 0-100km/h acceleration in just 3.1 seconds, delivering stunning performance. Additionally, the inclusion of a dual-chamber closed air suspension, a dual-valve CCD electromagnetic damping system, and a 48V active stabilizer bar further enhances the vehicle's handling and comfort, creating a sense of sophistication in the chassis. However, in the automotive market, stacking high-end components does not necessarily equate to being a high-end product. Denza Z9 is a typical example. This vehicle was built with huge investment, incorporating a large number of high-cost components in its configuration, body, and chassis. It offers both pure electric and plug-in hybrid versions, with a rich range of models, and its comprehensiveness far surpasses that of the Xiaomi SU7. Yet, its sales performance has been unsatisfactory, with monthly sales never exceeding 10,000 units, while the Xiaomi SU7 has achieved monthly sales of over 10,000 units consistently, even exceeding 20,000 units for several consecutive months. The reason behind this is that although the Denza Z9 is generous in component stacking, the texture of its configurations is mediocre, and it has brought some troubles to car owners in actual use. For instance, although the Devialet sound system has good sound quality, the shiny speaker grilles often reflect light and affect the driver's vision; the seat memory logic is confusing, and sometimes tall car owners end up "making close contact" with the roof after getting in the car. These detailed issues reflect that merely piling up configurations without focusing on user experience makes it difficult to win consumers' recognition. The Zeekr 9X faces the same challenge. While "stacking components" for the vehicle, it must pay attention to the actual experience brought to car owners and cannot ignore the details of configurations in real-world use. By drawing lessons from the approach of Huawei Smart Selection car brands such as AITO and Zunjie in building high-end models, centering on user experience, and putting "good steel on the bladge (the critical point)", it can truly create a high-end and luxurious vehicle.