Quick answer: Zeekr is Geely Auto’s premium new-energy vehicle brand. Geely incubated it in 2021, with An Conghui as co-founder and first chief executive. Zeekr listed on the New York Stock Exchange as ZK in May 2024, but Geely Auto completed a take-private merger in December 2025. The former NYSE company is now a wholly owned Geely Auto subsidiary, and the ZK stock no longer trades.
Last verified: July 17, 2026. Ownership, leadership, model and delivery claims use current Geely, Zeekr or exchange material. China and international lineups are separated because badges, specifications and launch timing vary by market.
Page role: This is BYDToday’s single Zeekr Brand + Founder Owner. It consolidates company history, An Conghui’s role, ownership, SEA architecture and the current model family. The two reports on the 800,000-delivery milestone and 9-series flagship expansion remain dated supporting news, not competing company profiles. Detailed model launches belong on separate pages in the knowledge hub.
What is Zeekr?
Zeekr is a premium vehicle brand created inside the Geely ecosystem. Its name is also used in several corporate labels, which is why search results can be confusing. “Zeekr” may mean the consumer marque, the operating companies behind that marque, or the former US-listed Zeekr Intelligent Technology Holding group. Those are related, but they are not interchangeable.
The brand began as a battery-electric specialist, with the 001 as its first production model. It now covers shooting brakes, sedans, crossovers, SUVs and MPVs. The addition of the 9X and 8X on the SEA-S hybrid architecture also means Zeekr is no longer a BEV-only product brand in China. International sites may still show a smaller battery-electric lineup because homologation, distribution and delivery schedules differ by country.
Zeekr sits under Geely Automobile Holdings Limited, the Hong Kong-listed automaker commonly called Geely Auto. Geely Holding is the wider parent group. BYDToday’s Geely and Li Shufu Owner maps that broader portfolio; this page stays focused on the Zeekr entity and brand.
Who founded Zeekr, and what is An Conghui’s role?
Calling Zeekr an independent founder-led startup is misleading. Geely incubated and funded the brand, while An Conghui was its co-founder, first chief executive and principal corporate operator. At Zeekr’s April 2021 launch, Geely identified An as CEO of Zeekr Technology. Li Shufu is Geely’s founder and the strategic sponsor behind the wider group, but he did not create Zeekr as a separate garage-style venture.
An had already spent decades inside Geely. He joined the business in 1996 and held senior engineering, production and group-management roles before Zeekr. That operating background shaped Zeekr’s unusual path: the brand could move with startup-style product cycles while drawing on Geely’s engineering, procurement, manufacturing and platform resources.
The current title requires a date stamp. Geely Auto’s 2026 management page describes An as a director and chief executive of Geely Holding and chairman of Geely Automobile Group. He joined the board of Geely Automobile Holdings as an executive director on June 5, 2026. The same official biography refers to his Zeekr directorship and brand responsibility in the past tense. After privatization, Li Shufu became chairman of Zeekr’s board. It is therefore unsafe to keep calling An the current Zeekr CEO without a current Zeekr appointment source.
At Auto China 2026, Geely identified Shang Peng as head of Zeekr brand management. That is a brand operating role, not necessarily the same legal office as chief executive of a listed company. The distinction matters because the US-listed parent ceased to exist as an independent public issuer in December 2025.
| Date | Milestone | Why it matters | Boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2020 | Geely unveiled the Sustainable Experience Architecture, or SEA. | Created a shared technical base for multiple Geely-group brands. | SEA is a Geely architecture family, not a Zeekr-only invention. |
| April 2021 | Zeekr brand and 001 launched; An Conghui served as CEO of Zeekr Technology. | Commercial start of the premium EV marque. | Geely-incubated brand, not an independent startup. |
| October 2021 | 001 customer deliveries began in China. | Turned the brand from launch project into an operating automaker. | Do not backdate deliveries to the April reveal. |
| May 2024 | Zeekr listed on the NYSE under ticker ZK. | Created a short period of standalone US public reporting. | The exchange was NYSE, not Nasdaq. |
| February 2025 | Zeekr Group acquired 51% of Lynk & Co; Geely Auto retained 49%. | Established a two-brand technology group. | Lynk & Co did not become a Zeekr vehicle badge. |
| December 2025 | Geely Auto completed Zeekr’s take-private merger. | Zeekr became a wholly owned Geely Auto subsidiary. | ZK trading ended; no current standalone Zeekr stock. |
| June 2026 | An joined Geely Auto Holdings’ board as executive director. | His disclosed current duties shifted to the wider Geely organization. | Do not automatically label him current Zeekr CEO. |
Who owns Zeekr now?
Geely Auto owns Zeekr. The December 22, 2025 merger announcement states that Zeekr became a wholly owned subsidiary of Geely Automobile Holdings. Trading in Zeekr American depositary shares was suspended on the New York Stock Exchange that day, followed by the normal deregistration process. Search pages that still show ZK prices, an IPO profile or an independent market capitalization are historical snapshots.
This does not make Zeekr identical to every Geely entity. Geely Auto is the listed vehicle company, traded in Hong Kong as 0175. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group is the wider private parent associated with Li Shufu. Zeekr’s product organization sits inside the listed-auto perimeter, while the broader holding group also contains activities and investments beyond the Zeekr brand.
The Lynk & Co transaction adds another layer. In February 2025 the then-listed Zeekr Group said it held 51% of Lynk & Co, while Geely Auto held 49%. The two marques were organized under Zeekr Technology Group to share technology, supply-chain and international resources. After the take-private merger, that corporate structure sits within Geely Auto. Consumers should still treat Zeekr and Lynk & Co as separate brands with different product identities.
| Name | What it is | Current relationship | Do not infer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zeekr brand | Premium NEV consumer marque | Operated within the Geely Auto group | Not a currently listed standalone automaker. |
| Zeekr Group | Corporate group that was formerly NYSE-listed | Wholly owned Geely Auto subsidiary after December 2025 | Old ZK investor pages are not current stock coverage. |
| Geely Auto | Hong Kong-listed automaker, HKEX 0175 | Direct listed owner of Zeekr | Not identical to the whole Geely Holding portfolio. |
| Geely Holding | Wider private parent group founded by Li Shufu | Ultimate group ecosystem around Geely Auto | Group association does not mean every brand shares one legal issuer. |
| Lynk & Co | Separate consumer vehicle brand | 51% Zeekr Group / 49% Geely Auto structure announced in 2025 | Not a Zeekr model line. |
What is SEA, and did Zeekr develop it with Volvo?
SEA stands for Sustainable Experience Architecture. Geely Holding unveiled it in 2020 as a modular electric-vehicle architecture family with flexible wheelbases, vehicle sizes, drive layouts and electrical systems. Zeekr became its most visible early user through the 001, but the engineering asset belongs to the Geely ecosystem and supports more than one badge.
It is safer to say that SEA was developed by Geely Holding than to repeat the claim that Zeekr “co-developed SEA with Volvo.” Volvo is an important Geely-group company and group engineering can involve shared expertise, but the official SEA launch identifies Geely Holding as the creator. A brand Owner should not turn ecosystem proximity into an unsupported joint-development credit.
SEA is also a family rather than one frozen skateboard. Different derivatives support compact vehicles, large MPVs and performance cars. The SEA-S architecture used by the 9X and 8X is designed for Zeekr’s “super hybrid” plug-in products. That evolution is strategically important: Zeekr can now compete for customers who want long-distance liquid-fuel backup without abandoning its premium electric identity.
Architecture names do not guarantee identical charging voltage, battery, motor, assisted-driving hardware or crash structure across every model and market. Those specifications must be checked on the local model page. The original dossier’s claim that every Zeekr comes standard with LiDAR is not supportable across the whole lineup.
Current Zeekr models in 2026
Zeekr’s China range is broader than the lineup shown on its global website. The core battery-electric family includes the 001 and 001 FR shooting brakes, 007 sedan, 7GT or 007 GT shooting brake, X compact crossover, 7X SUV, 009 and 009 Grand MPVs, and MIX lifestyle MPV. Naming can vary by export market; the international 7GT, for example, is closely related to the China-market 007 GT.
The 9X and 8X are plug-in hybrid flagships using the SEA-S architecture. The 9X is a large flagship SUV launched in China in September 2025. The five-seat 8X followed in April 2026. This corrects an important outdated description: Zeekr began as an all-electric brand, but its current China portfolio includes PHEVs.
Availability is not global by default. A model announced in China is not necessarily on sale in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia or Australia on the same date. BYDToday’s 9X export report, 8X launch coverage and 001 anniversary update provide dated detail; local-market specifications still need a current configurator check.
| Model family | Body / role | Powertrain | Market boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 / 001 FR | Premium shooting brake; FR is the performance derivative | BEV | One of Zeekr’s longest-running export nameplates. |
| 007 / 7GT | Sedan and shooting-brake family | BEV | 7GT / 007 GT naming differs by market. |
| X | Compact premium crossover | BEV | Sold in selected international markets. |
| 7X | Mid-size premium SUV | BEV | Local battery, range and equipment vary. |
| 009 / 009 Grand | Large luxury MPV | BEV | Grand is a higher-end derivative, not a separate brand. |
| MIX | Lifestyle MPV / people mover | BEV | China availability does not imply a global launch. |
| 9X | Large flagship SUV | PHEV on SEA-S | China launch confirmed; export timing is market-specific. |
| 8X | Five-seat flagship SUV | PHEV on SEA-S | China launch confirmed in April 2026. |
Zeekr deliveries and financial disclosure after privatization
Zeekr delivered 222,123 vehicles in 2024, an 87% increase from 2023, according to the former listed company. Deliveries rose more modestly to 224,133 in 2025. Geely Auto’s June 2026 sales announcement reported 35,169 Zeekr vehicles for the month and 178,370 for the first half, up 111% and 97% year over year respectively.
These figures are company-reported vehicle sales or deliveries, not universal registration data. They also should not be mixed with the combined Lynk & Co perimeter unless the source explicitly reports a combined group total. The first-half 2026 figure is not a full-year forecast.
Financial comparison changes after privatization. Before December 2025, ZK filings supplied standalone quarterly revenue, margin and loss data. Zeekr is now consolidated into Geely Auto, so current investors should use Geely Auto disclosures and segment notes. It would be misleading to continue a “Zeekr earnings” table by splicing old standalone numbers into later group totals.
| Period | Reported Zeekr volume | Change | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2024 | 222,123 | +87% year over year | Former NYSE issuer’s full-year delivery release. |
| FY 2025 | 224,133 | About +1% | Full-year brand result before/through privatization. |
| June 2026 | 35,169 | +111% year over year | One-month Geely Auto sales announcement. |
| H1 2026 | 178,370 | +97% year over year | Six-month subtotal, not a full-year forecast. |
| After Dec. 2025 | Reported inside Geely Auto | Standalone ZK reporting ended | Use Geely Auto filings; do not invent separate Zeekr earnings. |
What the Zeekr strategy is trying to do
Zeekr’s first phase proved that a Geely-incubated brand could sell premium EVs with a distinct design and direct digital identity. The second phase is broader: integrate more deeply with Geely Auto, share resources with Lynk & Co, move from a China-heavy BEV specialist to a multi-powertrain premium brand, and expand internationally without duplicating every function of the parent.
The advantages are scale and access. Zeekr can draw on SEA engineering, Geely manufacturing, group purchasing and a wider overseas network. The risk is loss of clarity. A premium brand can be weakened if product roles overlap with Lynk & Co, Geely Galaxy or other group marques, or if each market receives a different lineup without a stable hierarchy.
Three signals deserve watching: whether the 8X and 9X can sustain premium demand beyond launch periods; whether international Zeekr sales grow without persistent discounting; and whether post-privatization reporting gives investors enough brand-level visibility. An Conghui’s contribution belongs in the history, but 2026 analysis should follow the current Geely and Zeekr management structure rather than freeze his 2021 title.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Zeekr?
Geely Automobile Holdings owns Zeekr. The December 2025 take-private merger made Zeekr a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong-listed Geely Auto group.
Is Zeekr still publicly traded?
No. Zeekr listed on the New York Stock Exchange as ZK in May 2024, but trading was suspended when Geely completed the merger on December 22, 2025. Historical ZK pages do not represent a current standalone stock.
Who founded Zeekr?
Zeekr was incubated by Geely rather than created as an independent startup. An Conghui is officially described as a Zeekr co-founder and was the first CEO; Li Shufu founded the wider Geely group.
Is An Conghui still Zeekr CEO?
Current Geely disclosures identify An as a Geely Holding director and CEO, chairman of Geely Automobile Group and, from June 2026, an executive director of Geely Auto Holdings. They describe his Zeekr role historically, so calling him current Zeekr CEO is not source-safe.
Is Zeekr an all-electric brand?
It began as a battery-electric brand, and most established Zeekr models are BEVs. The China-market 9X and 8X are SEA-S plug-in hybrids, so the current portfolio is no longer BEV-only.
Which Zeekr models are sold globally?
Availability varies. Zeekr’s international site includes models such as the 001, X, 7X, 7GT and 009 family, while China has a broader range including the 007, MIX, 8X and 9X. Buyers should use the official site for their country.
Sources
- Geely Auto, current management biographies and post-privatization Zeekr status
- Zeekr Group, completion of the Geely take-private merger
- PR Newswire / Zeekr Group, archived merger-completion release
- Geely Holding, Zeekr and 001 launch in April 2021
- Geely Holding, Sustainable Experience Architecture overview
- Zeekr Group, Zeekr and Lynk & Co integration
- Geely Global, Auto China 2026 portfolio and Zeekr brand-management reference
- Zeekr Global, current international model lineup
- Zeekr Global, 001 product page
- Zeekr Group, 9X China launch
- Geely Auto / GlobeNewswire, 8X China launch and SEA-S architecture
- Zeekr Group, 2024 delivery result
- Geely Auto, June and H1 2026 sales announcement
- Geely Auto / HKEX, 2025 annual report
