China’s Zeekr has started teasing its first plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Zeekr 9X, releasing new pictures ahead of its debut at the upcoming Shanghai Autoshow in April. The move sees the brand joining an array of electric vehicle makers diversifying their offerings to include hybrids rather than just all-electrics. This means drivers will be able to use electric power for short trips and switch to hybrid or range-extended operation modes for longer journeys. The full-size sports utility vehicle is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of this year, the company said. A high-end luxury variant, called the 9X Grand, will also be available to the market at an expected price tag of RMB 1 million ($137,900), becoming a potential competitor to the Rolls Royce Cullinan, which has a dealer price of at least RMB 6.9 million in China. Hangzhou-headquartered and New York-listed Zeekr, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely, has six all-electric models on offer, and rivals such as Xpeng Motors and Avatr are planning or have already started selling hybrid vehicles. [TechNode reporting]
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