On the 29th, in the heart of Binjiang District, Hangzhou, China. Walking into Zeekr's showroom, located in an area dense with high-rises, hotels and commercial facilities, the 7X, its mainstay midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV), caught the eye. Zeekr is the premium brand of Geely Automobile Holdings, a large Chinese automaker group.

We left the showroom with me seated in the back. After about five minutes of driving to another area, the accompanying driver entered a destination and then took hands off the steering wheel, and the 7X began to drive on its own.

A screen showing real-time driving conditions activated on the dashboard display. The 7X changed lanes by itself, alternated left and right turns, and continued along the set route. When a vehicle in the adjacent lane tried to overtake and cut in, it slowed down.

On the 29th, Zeekr's 8X, a mid–full-size SUV, and 009, a full-size MPV, are on display at Zeekr's exhibition hall in the downtown area of Binjiang District, Hangzhou, China. /Courtesy of Jin Sang-hoon

After about 10 minutes of Autonomous Driving, the 7X arrived safely at the destination, the Zeekr showroom. After getting out, pressing the auto-park button on the smart key made it park itself perfectly in the designated space. The 7X is slated to make its Korean debut in the second half of this year.

Following BYD's start of sales in Korea last year, Chinese automakers' push is expected to intensify this year. Zeekr has already set up a corporation and selected dealers, putting domestic sales within reach.

Following Zeekr, Xpeng, regarded as an innovative mobility corporation in China, and Chery Automobile Co., cited as one of China's five major automakers, are also preparing to enter Korea.

With Chinese auto brands that pair noticeably improved technology in recent years with strong value for money entering one after another, Hyundai Motor and Kia, which have dominated the Korean market for a long time, are on alert.

◇ Zeekr, Geely group's premium brand, landing in Korea in the second half

According to the auto industry on the 6th, Zeekr finalized its entry last year by registering domestically under the corporate name "Zeekr Intelligent Technology Korea." After appointing former Audi Korea head Lim Hyun-gi, who led the company from 2022 for two years, as head of the Korean corporation last year, it also selected four dealers. In mid-month, it plans to open a brand gallery on Yeongdong-daero in Gangnam District, Seoul.

The finished-vehicle industry expects Zeekr to target the Korean market from a different position than BYD, which entered earlier. While BYD mainly sells affordable volume models, Zeekr, with a step-up in brand value and performance, is likely to show competitiveness in higher price segments.

On the 29th in Hangzhou, China, Zeekr's mid-size SUV 7X activates its Autonomous Driving mode. When the driver takes hands off the wheel, the car drives itself toward the destination. /Courtesy of Jin Sang-hoon

In China, Zeekr sells, in addition to the 7X, the 8X, an upper-midsize SUV, and the 9X, a large SUV. The 8X and 9X are plug-in hybrids. The lineup also includes the 009, a large electric multipurpose vehicle (MPV), and the 009 Grand, its upscale variant. In particular, the 009 Grand is a four-seater model focused on rear-seat passengers, equipped with a variety of lavish convenience features, and is very popular among China's wealthy and senior corporate executives.

An official at a finished-vehicle company said, "Zeekr is already being evaluated in global markets as offering top-tier performance, safety and convenience features, and design." The official added, "In Korea, Chinese cars still have relatively low brand value, but Zeekr has considerable recognition as a premium car. If it sets prices below Genesis domestically, it could deliver sales that exceed expectations."

◇ "Tesla of the mainland" Xpeng also on the launchpad… Nio draws attention as an IT-based car brand

The company seen as highly likely to follow Zeekr into Korea is Chinese EV maker Xpeng. Xpeng has already established and registered a corporation in Korea under the name "Xpeng Motors Korea." Jackie Gu, chair of Xpeng's technology committee, met with Korean reporters at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, Germany, in Sep. last year and said, "We are formulating plans to enter Korea."

Founded in 2014, Xpeng is considered one of the most innovative EV companies in China, to the point of being called "China's Tesla." In particular, Xpeng's ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system), "XNGP," is regarded as having the most advanced performance in China. Xpeng is also expanding into urban air mobility (UAM), including flying cars, and humanoid robots.

On the 29th, a second-generation P7, a mid–full-size electric sedan, is on display at an Xpeng store in the downtown area of Binjiang District, Hangzhou, China. /Courtesy of Jin Sang-hoon

Xpeng's first model for Korea is expected to be the P7, an upper-midsize electric sedan. The P7 debuted in 2020, and a second-generation new model launched in China last year. The P7 is built on an 800-volt (V) high-voltage platform and can travel 525 km on a 10-minute charge. It also features Xpeng's in-house artificial intelligence (AI), "Turing AI," enabling Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities.

Although a Korea entry is not yet planned, Nio is also growing rapidly as a cutting-edge EV brand. Nio's founder and key executives come from the IT industry, and the company has built a nationwide "battery swap (BaaS)" infrastructure in China that replaces a battery in three minutes instead of charging. By introducing several state-of-the-art technologies, including an in-car AI assistant called "Nomi," it is evaluated alongside Xpeng as one of the most innovative companies in China.

◇ Hyundai Motor and Kia face mounting questions… "More investment in innovation and stronger brand value are the answers"

The successive entries of Chinese companies into Korea are deepening Hyundai Motor and Kia's concerns. In particular, as they struggle in the EV market with Tesla expanding its share, they appear set to face a "double bind" of also competing against Chinese cars that claim world-class EV and Autonomous Driving technologies.

For Hyundai Motor's Ioniq 5, a midsize EV, domestic sales last month were 2,410 units, down 25.3% from the previous month. Sales of the Ioniq 6 electric sedan and the large SUV Ioniq 9 also fell 45.1% and 29.2%, respectively, compared with the previous month.

Zeekr plans to sequentially introduce in Korea models with more diverse convenience features than BYD. The photo shows the rear seats of the Zeekr 009 Grand, a four-seat premium version of the large MPV 009. Passengers use a large LED screen mounted behind the first-row seats for various infotainment functions and can also hold video conferences. /Courtesy of Jin Sang-hoon

By contrast, Tesla's domestic sales last month were 11,130 units, up 41.5% from the previous month. Compared with the same period last year, that was a sharp increase of 329.6%. BYD also sold 1,664 units in Korea last month, up 73.9% from the month before.

An official at a finished-vehicle company warned, "Objectively speaking, the performance of major Chinese automaker corporations is not much different from Hyundai Motor's, and some technologies are even seen as ahead," adding, "If Hyundai Motor and Kia ease off the gas, they could follow Honda or Volkswagen and other fading Japanese and German players."

The official added, "They must aggressively ramp up investment in EVs, Autonomous Driving and design to strengthen competitiveness, and maintain a superior position in brand value through diverse marketing."

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