Zeekr has sent its first large-scale overseas shipment of the 9X to the UAE. The flagship SUV is the brand’s most expensive model, and the UAE is its first international market. Local deliveries of new orders are due to start in January 2027.
What has Zeekr announced?
The shipment left the Jiangyin Port Area of Fuzhou Port in eastern China, Zeekr said on 23 September. The company described it as the 9X’s first overseas shipment in volume. However, it didn’t say how many cars were on board.
Zeekr is the global luxury electric vehicle brand of Geely Auto Group. According to the company, it now sells in more than 60 countries and regions through nearly 800 stores. It also says it ranked first among China’s premium car brands for overseas exports from January to August 2026.
How much does the 9X cost in the UAE?
Zeekr’s UAE website lists three versions of the 9X. The Ultra starts at AED 369,900, the Hyper costs AED 409,900 and the Obsidian tops the range at AED 439,900. Buyers can place a booking with a deposit of AED 10,000.
In its announcement, Zeekr put the UAE price above RMB 800,000. By comparison, it said the 9X costs close to RMB 1 million in Europe. It also highlighted a version customised by Mansory, which it says sells overseas for more than RMB 2.7 million. Zeekr calls that car the most expensive Chinese vehicle sold abroad.
What kind of car is the 9X?
The 9X is a large plug-in hybrid SUV. Zeekr calls its drivetrain a Super Electric Hybrid, built on Geely’s SEA platform. In practice, the car pairs electric motors with a petrol engine. According to its Chinese regulatory filing, that engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit producing 275 hp.
Every UAE version uses a 70 kWh battery. That’s unusually large for a plug-in hybrid, and it’s bigger than the battery in some fully electric cars. As a result, the 9X should cover many everyday journeys without using the engine at all.
How powerful and quick is it?
The entry-level Ultra has two electric motors and all-wheel drive. Zeekr quotes 885 hp and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 4.2 seconds. Meanwhile, the Hyper and Obsidian add a third motor, which lifts output to 1,380 hp. Zeekr claims they reach 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds.
All of these figures come from the manufacturer. No independent tests have confirmed them yet.
How far can it travel on electricity?
Zeekr’s UAE site doesn’t list an electric-only range. In China, Zeekr has claimed up to 302 km of pure electric driving from the 70 kWh battery. That figure uses the Chinese CLTC test cycle, which tends to give higher numbers than real-world driving. Therefore, UAE owners should expect less, especially with the air conditioning running in summer heat.
What else comes with each version?
All three versions get powered doors and Zeekr’s intelligent interactive systems. In addition, the Hyper adds rotating second-row seats and 48V active suspension. The Obsidian keeps those features and adds an all-black exterior and interior, a black front grille and 22-inch forged wheels.
Zeekr backs the car with a five-year or 150,000 km vehicle warranty. The battery carries a separate warranty of eight years or 160,000 km.
Why is Zeekr starting with the UAE?
Zeekr hasn’t said why it chose the UAE first. Even so, it pointed to the car’s profile in the Gulf. The company said the Prime Minister of Qatar and members of the UAE Royal Family have used the 9X for official transport.
At home, Zeekr says the 9X leads China’s large SUVs priced above RMB 500,000 for sales, customer recognition and resale value. Those are the company’s own claims, and it didn’t publish the data behind them.
When can buyers get one?
Zeekr’s UAE site says new bookings will be delivered from January 2027 onwards. So the cars now at sea are likely to fill earlier orders and stock showrooms first. Buyers who order today will probably wait until at least the end of the year.
For Zeekr, the UAE launch is a test of whether a Chinese brand can sell at the very top of the market. The 9X will compete with established luxury SUVs on price, and early sales will show whether buyers accept that.
