The new Zeekr 7X comes standard with a mechanical system to break the window in the event of flooding

One of the most dramatic situations for any driver is not being in an accident itself, but rather that, as a consequence of it, the vehicle ends up in a pond, a lake or any accumulation of water and begins to flood. When that happens, reacting calmly and knowing what to do often makes the difference between living and dying.

The team of engineers responsible for developing the new Zeekr 7X has taken this situation into account, integrating a system that they hope will considerably increase the number of survivors in this type of incident.

The new electric SUV from the Chinese manufacturer introduces a feature that is pioneering in the industry: a mechanism designed to break the driver’s window in the event of flooding. According to its creators, this system does not require enormous force to activate, only 50 newtons, while generating in return a force of 3,000 newtons, equivalent to the force of five adult men simultaneously striking the window, which will shatter the glass.

How is this system activated?

Under the window controls on the driver’s door armrest, there is a panel which, when removed, reveals a lever. When this lever is operated manually, an integrated hammer strikes the lower part of the glass, breaking it and thus enabling quick and effective evacuation. This system is also entirely mechanical, so it can be used without any problem even if the vehicle’s electrical system fails completely on contact with water.

To demonstrate how it works in a real-life situation, and with the collaboration of a rescuer from Blue Sky Rescue in China, Zeekr took a unit of its new electric SUV to a lake, with the intention of submerging it. The result was as expected, proving to be an effective and simple system that could save many lives if all vehicles on the roads included it as standard, as is the case with the new Zeekr 7X.

For the time being it is unknown whether Zeekr plans to include this feature in other vehicles in the more or less near future, or whether it could also reach models from any of the Geely brands, such as Volvo or Polestar. A move by the company that would be very welcome, since extending the availability of a system like this to as many vehicles as possible would represent a significant advance in driver safety.