Zeekr Launches In Germany With Three EVs That Undercut BMW And Mercedes

Chinese premium EV maker Zeekr officially began sales in Germany on Monday, bringing three electric models priced from €37,990 ($44,065) to the doorstep of BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen. We’ve been tracking China’s EV invasion of Europe for years, and this launch marks a pivotal escalation: a Geely-owned brand is now competing head-to-head with German automakers on their home turf.

The move was first reported by specialist publication Elektroauto-News and confirmed by Reuters, signaling Zeekr’s long-delayed but aggressive push into Europe’s largest automotive market.

Germany represents approximately two-thirds commercial vehicle registrations, making it Europe’s most lucrative company car market. Zeekr is targeting exactly that segment.

Zeekr Germany Pricing And Specs

All sales will be conducted through a direct distribution model, bypassing traditional dealerships.

How Zeekr Stacks Up Against German Rivals

The pricing tells a brutal story for legacy automakers.

Zeekr’s entry-level X compact SUV starts at €37,990, undercutting the Volkswagen ID.4 (€40,300) by €2,310 and the Mercedes EQA (€51,610) by a staggering €13,620.

But price is only part of the equation.

The Zeekr 7X delivers 615 km (382 miles) of WLTP range and charges from 10-80% in just 13 minutes using a 360kW charger. Compare that to the Mercedes EQA’s 561 km range and 35-minute fast charge time. The BMW iX1 offers similar range but cannot match Zeekr’s 800-volt architecture charging speeds.

“The demand is enormous,” Zeekr Europe CEO Lothar Schupet told Elektroauto-News. “There are several DAX companies and large leasing companies waiting for our electric cars.”

Zeekr has already secured partnerships with BNP Paribas and Arval for corporate fleet offers.

Standard Equipment That Shames The Competition

Zeekr’s premium positioning comes with extensive standard features that German brands typically charge extra for.

The 7X and 001 models include 21 or 22-inch wheels, panoramic roof, matrix LED headlights, heat pump, 22kW onboard charger, air suspension, massage seats, and a comprehensive driver assistance package as standard equipment.

The warranty package is equally aggressive: eight years or 124,274 miles (200,000 km) on the battery. Vehicle warranty extends to five years standard, or ten years if servicing is conducted within the Zeekr network.

Initially, 40 certified Zeekr service centers will operate in Germany, expanding to 100 locations by Q2 2026. The operational partner is GAS Global Automotive Service GmbH, which operates approximately 1,700 affiliated businesses across Germany.

Delayed Launch Finally Arrives

Zeekr originally planned to enter Germany in early 2024.

The nearly two-year delay allowed the company to build out service infrastructure and refine its direct sales model. Orders are now open, with deliveries scheduled to begin in January 2025.

The company has already established presence in Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria. Germany represents the largest and most strategically important market in that expansion.

Zeekr plans to expand into Spain, Italy, France, and Britain during 2026.

EVXL’s Take

This launch validates everything we’ve been documenting about China’s systematic conquest of European EV markets.

German automakers are not just losing market share. They are being out-engineered. When a Chinese brand can deliver 800-volt architecture, 13-minute charging, and 382 miles of range at prices that match Volkswagen’s mass-market offerings, the game has fundamentally changed.

We covered Volkswagen opening a €2.9 billion China lab specifically because German engineering could not keep pace with Chinese development cycles. The numbers are damning: Chinese automakers develop new vehicles in 18-24 months while VW operates on timelines of 3-5 years.

The broader pattern is unmistakable. BYD surpassed Tesla in European EV sales back in April 2025. European car sales data showed BYD exploding 398% while Tesla slumped 10.5%. Chinese brands now hold approximately 5.1% of the European market, trailing Mercedes-Benz by just 0.1 percentage points.

Zeekr is the second wave of this invasion, targeting the premium segment that BYD’s value-focused lineup does not fully address.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s EV strategy continues to falter, with the company considering factory closures for the first time in its 87-year history. VW’s Cariad software division posted a €2.4 billion loss in 2023, delaying critical Audi and Porsche models by nearly two years.

It is worth noting that Zeekr itself faced scrutiny for inflating sales figures through insurance schemes in China earlier this year. The company’s parent Geely denied the allegations, but it underscores the cutthroat competition driving Chinese automakers to extreme measures domestically, even as they execute flawlessly abroad.

The strategic implications are clear. Zeekr is not just selling cars. It is establishing infrastructure, building brand recognition, and positioning for long-term dominance. By the time legacy automakers respond, Zeekr will have 100 service centers across Germany and a foothold in five additional European markets.

For German automakers, the clock is ticking. The question is no longer whether Chinese EVs can compete with European engineering. The question is whether European engineering can survive Chinese competition.

What do you think about Zeekr’s Germany launch? Can German automakers respond in time? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Featured image: Zeekr 7X. Photo courtesy of Zeekr.