Chinese electric vehicle brand Zeekr is Underwater Loveplanning to sell two premium EV models in Japan in 2025 and hopes to open showrooms in Tokyo and the Osaka area ahead of the launch later this year, according to vice president Chen Yu, Nikkei has reported. The news comes after the Geely-affiliated EV maker recently announced entry into some other right-hand-drive markets, including Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore, with the Zeekr 009 van and the X crossover, priced from RMB 439,000 and RMB 200,000 ($61,000 and $27,900) respectively at home. The company is aming to be present in 50 countries and regions by the end of this year, up from its current count of 30, and hopes to sell EVs in South Korea in 2026. Meanwhile, rival BYD in June launched the Seal, its most expensive electric sedan, in Japan at 5.28 million yen ($35,730), a more than 40% markup compared with its price in China. The EV giant sold 1,446 units of its Atto 3 and Dolphin EVs in Japan last year, according to the Nikkei report. [Nikkei]
