Geely’s premium EV marque Zeekr is testing a small crossover SUV running on battery power. The first spy photos of a car provisionally named ‘BX1E’ have emerged online.
The newcomer will be marketed as an SUV despite looking like a typical hatchback with smooth outlines and a modest amount of ground clearance. The prototype is cladded, but there is still no mistaking its two-tier headlights and charging ports in both fenders at the front end.
The interior looks stylistically similar to the larger Zeekr 001 liftback (see video). There is a familiar slightly squared-off steering wheel and a pair of standalone displays for the dash gauges and the head unit rising above the dashboard.
The BX1E comes based on the so-called Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA). Geely uses various implementations of this architecture for a wide variety of vehicles differing in size and market segment, ranging from Smart #1 to Lotus Eletre. The car pictured here measures 4.2 meters end-to-end, which brings it closer to the Smart in terms of size. The powertrains will likely be similar to that model, too, with a choice between RWD and AWD. Of course, it is all mere speculation at this point.
The still-unnamed SUV is set to premiere in 2023 followed by a sedan. Thus, Zeekr plans to have four EVs in its portfolio by the end of the next year including the existing 001 and 009 models.