Incoming: NIO and Zeekr ready for 2025 UK arrival

As the Chinese EV export market continues to grow at a remarkable rate, we take a look at two of the latest brands vying to make their mark in Britain. But what separates these newcomers from the rest? 

In case you weren’t watching, in recent years the UK has seen an explosion of new and exciting Asian vehicles. BYD, GWM, Omoda, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, and many more have already made the voyage overseas. Soon, you can add two more Chinese names to that list: Nio and Zeekr. 

Never heard of them? Don’t worry, we hadn’t either. But there are several reasons why that’s about to become a thing of the past. For one, both marques boast expansive electric-only ranges and tout their own interesting tech innovations. However, we’re just as intrigued by their decision to fit premium Continental tyres as standard. Could this move reflect their upmarket brand aspirations? Keep reading to find out. 

Starting with Nio, the firm was founded in 2014 and describes itself as ‘a pioneer and a leading company in the global smart electric vehicle market’. A bold claim for such a fledgling firm, perhaps, but in less than a decade Nio has already made significant headway on the issues pertaining to EV batteries and the dreaded plight of range anxiety. 

While many European and American automakers invest huge resources into expanding the usable range of an EV’s battery, Nio’s revolutionary solution is to simply swap out the pack like you would a pair of AAs in a remote-control car.  

Ok, so it’s a little more complicated than that, but it’s certainly not science fiction. Using automated battery-swapping stations which simply change out the dead battery for a freshly charged one (pending an electronic health check) drivers can carry on their merry way in as little as two and a half minutes. And, while the UK isn’t ready for the concept just yet, millions of successful swaps have already been performed in Nio’s native market, with plans to roll out similar stations worldwide. 

What’s more, we have it on good authority that Nio’s (as yet unconfirmed) UK-bound models will wear a particularly energy-efficient model of Continental tyre: the EcoContact 6Q. That means that, thanks to a high-tech Green Chili 2.0 compound reducing rolling resistance, buyers should be able to eke extra miles from each charge — or change. 

As for Zeekr, well it’s an even more recent addition to the automotive world. In fact, with a founding date in 2021, most legacy marques have indicator stalks older than Zeekr’s entire brand. But discount this electric startup at your peril — just look at what Tesla has achieved in twenty years.  

Designed to compete directly with Nio, Zeekr is actually a subsidiary of the much larger and more experienced Geely Holdings — the same group which owns Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, and the London Electric Vehicle Company. But Zeekr’s offerings are unlike anything that’s come from that catalogue of storied brands. 

For one, the brand prides itself on avant-garde design which, to our eyes, seems to be working. Their 001 Grand Tourer in particular puts us in mind of Fiskers of old, and that’s no bad thing. And there are even two similarly stylish electric SUVs to choose from (the X and 7X).  

Performance is equally impressive. Top spec versions of the 001 receive no less than 537 bhp sent to all four wheels for brutally efficient acceleration. 0-60 mph is ticked off in a shade under four seconds while some models are said to achieve an impressive 435 miles per charge. Those are some punchy numbers for a company that’s barely out of nappies yet.

Oh, and the 001 should have little trouble transferring that prodigious grunt to the tarmac. Active air suspension helps to keep the ride supple when you’re cruising and the body flat and level when you’re pushing on. Then, for a final touch of dynamic polish, standard Continental PremiumContact 6 tyres with Macroblock technology offer unflappable grip in all weathers. 

So when can we expect to see these Chinese newcomers on our roads? It looks like Nio will be first to take the plunge — enticed by the UK’s lack of import tariffs on new Chinese EVs — with the first examples of its entry-level Onvo L60 set to land in the next few months. Meanwhile,  Zeekr’s timeframes are a little hazier. However, all current signs point towards a UK arrival before 2025 is out.  

Hero image credit: Shutterstock/Teddy Leung