Zeekr arrives in Norway and prepares to enter Denmark

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The only “non-local” attendee—technically from Copenhagen but officially arriving from Rome, where I was for another event—I participated in the event in Oslo marking Zeekr’s official entry into Norway, the third European market for the Geely’s brand. Zeekr was founded in 2021 but only entered Europe in 2023, debuting in Sweden and the Netherlands. On that occasion, we tested the Zeekr 001 and Zeekr X, the models designed for Europe.

Although the announcement of sales in Norway had already been made at the end of last year, the company preferred to first establish a network of partnerships with some of the country’s leading dealerships and observe performance in the other two markets before entering officially. In Oslo, Zeekr also unveiled its European expansion plans, which include entering Denmark by next year.

Zeekr in the Global Market

Launched in 2021 with mass production of what had been presented as the Lynk & Co Zero Concept, Zeekr is Geely’s fastest-growing brand. Zeekr developed the SEA platform, which underpins numerous other models within the group. In just three years, it has reached 360,000 units sold, launched a lineup of seven models (including an autonomous vehicle created with Waymo), and established four “intelligent factories,” two design centers (one shared with Lynk & Co in Gothenburg), and a network of over 3,000 charging stations in China.

In Europe, Zeekr has been present for about a year, operating in only two countries where it has taken an aggressive approach to build a name and reputation as an “accessible premium” brand. Currently, the European lineup consists of just two models (with a third coming soon, though I can’t share details yet), all designed and developed in Sweden.

What aboiut Norway

Norway is considered a favorable market. Starting in 2025—ten years ahead of the EU’s targets—only electric vehicles will be sold in the country, and EVs already account for 94% of new car sales today. In September 2024, Norway became the first country in the world where the number of electric vehicles surpassed internal combustion ones on the road (with Denmark close behind, experiencing record-breaking months). Another key factor is that Norwegians are open to innovation and non-European brands, as demonstrated by the success of Nio. Moreover, the country’s high purchasing power and demand for premium products create an advantageous landscape.

However, Norway already hosts 24 Chinese automotive brands, and the high concentration of premium vehicles may make it challenging for Zeekr to establish itself. According to Lothar Schupet, Chief Commercial Officer of Zeekr Europe, and Ole Kristian Agotnes, Head of Zeekr Norway, the brand relies on one of the most efficient platforms in the world, the SEA. It also benefits from superior safety results rooted in Volvo’s heritage, along with its positioning as a more accessible premium option.

When discussing these challenges with Schupet, who brings 23 years of sales experience from BMW, I noted that entering a market saturated with EVs—especially premium ones—might be a disadvantage rather than an advantage. Schupet agreed but emphasized that Zeekr has a clear strategy;

“I think you’re absolutely right. The advantage, of course, is that here, driving an EV is already a normal state, so it’s not that you have to build awareness from scratch. However, you still need to work against anxieties—like concerns about range and charging. This is especially relevant in other markets outside Norway, where you still need to convince people about electric mobility. So, that’s the first part, which is very different. The second part, which is also very different, is that Norway already has a lot of established entrants in the EV market. Many brands started their EV businesses here years ago, creating a competitive environment with high-performing players. This differs from other markets in Western Europe, where some brands are not yet present or where EV adoption is still in earlier stages. As you mentioned, Sweden and Denmark are also front-runners, but other markets might require a completely different approach. What we need to do as an organization is plan and run our commercial strategies—whether it’s communication, brand building, or offering—in a way that’s specific to Norway. We cannot just apply a one-size-fits-all approach or use creative production meant for Europe or the Nordics as a whole.We always need to revise our headlines, messages, and strategies to fit the Norwegian market specifically.”

Denmark and beyond

“I can’t confirm an exact date for Denmark yet,” Schupet stated. “While it’s a high-growth market with over 50% EV adoption [referring to new car sales], we need to balance our resources carefully as a startup. Opening too many markets simultaneously puts pressure on the organization. By early next year, we hope to announce a cadence of market launches aligned with our organizational capacity.“

Challenges in Denmark may be greater than in Norway. Danes tend to lean more toward European brands, but Schupet believes success depends on the approach:

“It’s all about what we discussed today during the conference. You need local knowledge, strong partners, and convincing products with the right go-to-market strategies. That’s why, with our value proposition and strong backbone, I believe the challenges are manageable. Denmark is a close market, but culturally different. However, we are already active in Sweden, and with just a bridge connecting Malmö and Copenhagen, there are synergies in the Nordic region that can strengthen our operations and organization.”

Zeekr plans to expand into 80% of Western Europe by 2027, targeting eight countries. Beyond the three already covered, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and France are next. Schupet also mentioned Italy and the UK, but not before 2027, citing Italy’s low EV adoption and the UK’s right-hand drive market as barriers.

Will the sporty Zeekr models arrive?

As mentioned, a third model is set to arrive for the European markets in the first half of 2025. However, I wanted to feature the Zeekr 001 FR on the cover of the event’s display along with the Zeekr X. Its presence made me hopeful that this 1,300-horsepower beast (the most powerful model in the Geely family, surpassing even the Lotus Emeya R!) will also make its way to Scandinavia.

Schupet doesn’t rule it out and, in fact, he is a big fan of the Zeekr 001 FR: “Personally, I’m a huge fan of the 001 FR, its features are amazing,” he confides. However, the company is taking a cautious approach:

“There are two considerations: Financial Viability: Changing homologation requirements involves significant investments. If the market is too small to absorb those costs, it could result in higher prices, which might deter customers. Brand Building: Bringing iconic models like the FR can shape our brand image significantly, allowing us to showcase our capabilities through acceleration tests, racing records, and more. However, I can’t confirm if the FR will officially come to Europe yet. We’re working on it, and by next year, we hope to have a more structured plan for bringing such models to this market.“

The tariff issue

Zeekr, represented by Lothar Schupet (who joined Zeekr after 23 years at BMW), also commented on the issue of tariffs, which does not affect Norway but is a concern for the rest of the markets. Although designed in Europe, Zeekr vehicles are built in China and, therefore, subject to the new tariffs, which for the Geely Group amount to 18.8%, on top of the existing 10%.

“The 18.8% tariffs will certainly impact our profitability,” Schupet comments. “However, we are working on cost-efficiency measures within our R&D, supply chain, and distribution to mitigate this impact. Despite the tariffs, we want to maintain our price-value proposition and continue expanding in Europe.”