Zeekr 009 spawns wallet-friendly versions of itself

According to AutoHome citing information from the Ministry of Industry of China, Zeekr will be adding new trim levels to its 009 MPV lineup to get the more budget-minded buyers interested. They will reportedly make do with a simpler, cheaper interior and only one electric motor.

The launch date is pending. In its current form (see video), the Zeekr 009 is available strictly as a dual-motor/AWD minivan with either four or six seats inside. The rumored new entry spec will allegedly replace the luxurious second row with a simple bench seat for three, raising the total seat count to seven.

Aside from this, the automaker has patented a new powertrain for the 009 in China. It consists of a single rear-wheel-drive motor capable of outputting 340 PS (335 hp / 250 kW) in the base spec or 422 PS (416 hp / 310 kW) in a premium spec. To keep the AWD variant attractive, Zeekr apparently plans to boost its output from 544 PS (536 hp / 400 kW) to 612 PS (604 hp / 450 kW).

Based on the images available so far, the new cheap MPV will not look any different from its more expensive cousins. The lighting, the grille slab and the wheels look exactly the same. In all likelihood, the battery pack will also remain unchanged. Its latest version delivers enough juice for the 009 to cover up to 822 km (510 miles) on a charge. For all we know, the new low-end spec might end up even more power-efficient than the ones currently on sale.