Chinese EV Automaker ZEEKR is marking its third consecutive presence on the CES show floors. During this year's event, ZEEKR began teasing at least three new models slated for launch in 2025, some of which will include the NVIDIA DRIVE Thor smart driver domain controller. In addition to those coded models, ZEEKR also plans to launch another NVIDIA DRIVE Thor-equipped EV called “RT” in the US for use by robotaxi developer Waymo.
ZEEKR wasted no time unveiling its latest EV and autonomous driving technology at CES 2025, which kicked off in Las Vegas earlier this week. As noted above, 2025 marks ZEEKR's third consecutive participation in the annual technology event, which is remarkable considering the company was founded less than four years ago.
During last year's event, ZEEKR showed off its 007, which was just launched in China a few days ago. It offers a range of 540 miles and a starting price under $30,000. At CES 2023, ZEEKR made its public debut in the US, showing off its flagship 001 shooting brake and a purpose-built EV for the Waymo robotics network, which we saw up close later that fall.
The Waymo BEV is now known as the ZEEKR RT, which is being talked about along with a number of exciting announcements that were teased by the Chinese automaker last month.
ZEEKR shares plans for new models, along with Waymo BEVs
ZEEKR kicked off CES 2025 today with news of a new domain controller built using NVIDIA's DRIVE Thor next-generation supercomputer. NVIDIA launched DRIVE Thor in the fall of 2022, announcing ZEEKR as its first customer and the first production of vehicles with the technology planned for early 2025.
As such, ZEEKR touts itself as the first OEM to integrate NVIDIA's next-gen system-on-chip (SoC) into a domain controller to handle a variety of intelligent driving, autonomous scenarios, and parking functions. According to NVIDIA at the launch of DRIVE Thor, the computer “reaches a performance of 2,000 teraflops, integrates intelligent functions – including automatic and assisted driving, parking, driver and occupant monitoring, digital instrument cluster, vehicle infotainment (IVI) and reverse – seat entertainment – in a single structure for high performance and low system cost.”
As NVIDIA's first DRIVE Thor customer, ZEEKR said its domain controller will soon be mass-produced and integrated into a new SUV model to be launched this year. That SUV will be one of three new BEV models ZEEKR launches in 2025. According to ZEEKR CEO Andy An, those cars are internally code-named “EX,” “DX,” and “CC.”
In addition to those passenger EVs in the works, ZEEKR shared that its RT van, based on the MIX and clearly designed as Waymo's robot, is undergoing real-world testing and is expected to arrive as the world's first target for mass production. – a car designed for independent riding.
Delivery of the ZEEKR RT to Waymo is expected later this year for further testing prior to the launch of the future public robot network. If that happens, the ZEEKR could be the first Chinese EV brand to enter the US market, albeit a narrow gap.
ZEEKR's 009 MPV, MIX van, and 001 FR shooting brake are on display at CES at booth #5640 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Go check yourself out.
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