A Volvo what?! Zeekr 009 electric minivan gets Volvo version in China -- report

541 PS, all-wheel drive, twin electric motors and sliding doors.

If this all sounds familiar, then you must remember our report on the Zeekr 009 electric luxury multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). This happy-looking, Subaru STI-beating leviathan is about to get a sibling with a more familiar badge – Volvo.

Car News China reported on January 2023 that the Swedish carmaker will release six new electric-vehicle (EV) models in China in 2023.

These include the Volvo EX90 Excellence, an unnamed SUV and an unnamed MPV.

The Volvo electric MPV will reportedly use the 009’s chassis and drivetrain, albeit with its own styling, and is expected to debut as early as October 2023. Zeekr and Volvo are owned by Chinese carmaker Geely.

Huge power

Although Volvo has not yet released any design concepts for its MPV, the 009 is well-known for hurtling its six passengers into space in complete comfort.

It is available with either 116-kWh or a 140-kWh battery pack that powers electric motors on the front and rear axles. 

Zeekr claims a maximum range of 822 kilometers for the bigger battery pack, with the smaller pack able to charge from 10 to 80 percent in 28 minutes using a fast charger.

Aerodynamic body

Despite looking like a highly amused refrigerator on wheels, Zeekr claims that the 009 has a drag coefficient of 0.27. 

For comparison, the Toyota Alphard luxury minivan has a coefficient of 0.33.

This means the 009 cuts through the air more cleanly than many of its slab-sided minivan rivals, which contributes to less cabin noise and better performance at higher speeds.

It also uses the Geely Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), which underpins the Zeekr 001 sedan that debuted at Auto Shanghai on April 2021.

The SEA platform is likewise used in the Lotus Eletre EV crossover, the Polestar 3 crossover and the upcoming Polestar 5 sedan. Geely also owns Lotus, with Volvo producing EVs under the Polestar marque.

Would a super-fast, fully electric MPV make sense with a Volvo badge?