Zeekr Mix, the Chinese electric van that aims to outdo the VW ID.Buzz

Chinese brands are known for offering quite attractive alternatives to other models from other parts of the world. In the past, they came dangerously close to outright copying, but for years now there have been quite interesting designs that serve as alternative models and are fairly well regarded by buyers in their home country. The Zeekr Mix is an MPV that aims to fill the space occupied by the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, but at a lower price.

This MPV is inspired by the Tiangong space station, so it has a somewhat futuristic and unusual look. The roof design, called Arc Sky, features a glazed area that lets in more natural light and creates a welcoming atmosphere. It is built on the SEA-M modular platform, which allows for a very attractive and original vehicle.

Its design makes the interior space almost entirely usable, so occupants can travel in great comfort. The seat design is very practical. For example, the front seats can rotate up to 270 degrees, while in the central area there is a platform that can be used as a table or even as a cooler.

The rear seats can recline to form two beds, providing greater comfort for users at certain times. Another detail that makes it an interesting vehicle is the cabin access doors. These open forwards at the front and rearwards at the back. This allows for a clean entrance to the interior, 1.48 metres wide, and there are no barriers hindering getting in and out.

Comfortable interior

The interior is so spacious thanks to the wheelbase of 3,008 millimetres. In total, the Zeekr Mix has a length of 4,668 mm, a width of 1,995 mm and a height of 1,775 mm. The front wheels offer a steering lock of just over 50 degrees, so the turning circle is quite short, just 4.95 metres. This makes it even better than some cars that are four metres long.

The rear offers seats with plenty of legroom. In addition, there is heating, ventilation and a massage function. There is also an electric footrest, located at the back of the front seat. The flat floor, the roof lining is microfibre and the audio system consists of 21 speakers.

It has a mobile device charger with a charging capacity of 50 W and a 220-volt charging port. The boot has a capacity of 586 litres. The SEA-M platform uses the 800-volt architecture, which enables fast charging.

Powertrain

The electric motor is located on the rear axle, produces 415 CV and draws its energy from a 76 kWh LFP battery, which offers a range of 550 kilometres. There is a second, higher-capacity battery, which uses NMC technology and has a capacity of 102 kWh, which increases the range to 700 kilometres. That said, this is under the CLTC homologation cycle, which is more lenient than the European one.

Price of the Zeekr Mix

The Zeekr Mix will have a starting price of 279,900 yuan, which at current exchange rates would be around €46,500. The version with the higher-capacity battery rises to 299,900 yuan, which represents around €39,000… €39,000. The good news is that, although in principle it will only be sold in China, it may reach Europe within a certain time.