The ZEEKR 9X is ZEEKR's full-size six-seat flagship SUV and its first extended-range (EREV) model — the wheels always run on electricity while a 1.97L petrol engine acts purely as a generator. It launched in China on 29 September 2025 from RMB 465,900-589,900, roughly USD 64,000-80,000 (ZEEKR, 2025). A ~70 kWh CATL battery plus the range-extender give about 1,200 km of CLTC total range, the tri-motor system makes around 1,030 kW (1,381 hp) for a ~3.1s 0-100 km/h, and ZEEKR says it will bring the 9X to the Middle East in H2 2026 — it is not yet GCC-certified, so UAE buyers today go the import route.
What exactly is the ZEEKR 9X?
The 9X sits at the very top of ZEEKR's line-up, above the 009 MPV. It is a full-size, six-seat SUV and — unusually for ZEEKR, which built its name on pure-battery cars like the 001 and 7X — it is an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV). In an EREV the wheels are always turned by the electric motors; the engine, here a 1.97L unit, is a generator that recharges the battery and never drives the wheels directly (InsideEVs, 2024). That makes the 9X plug in like a BEV but refuel like a petrol car. ZEEKR opened sales in China on 29 September 2025 from RMB 465,900 (CarNewsChina, 2025).
Range, power and performance — the honest numbers
ZEEKR pairs a roughly 70 kWh CATL NMC battery with the 1.97L range-extender, quoting a CLTC total range in the region of 1,200-1,250 km (ZEEKR, 2025). The powertrain is a tri-motor setup making about 1,030 kW — around 1,381 hp — with a 0-100 km/h of roughly 3.1 seconds, supercar pace for a three-row SUV (CarNewsChina, 2025). The honest caveat UAE buyers should internalise: CLTC is the optimistic Chinese test cycle, and our experience is that real Dubai highway driving at 130 km/h with the AC working hard in 45-50°C heat strips a meaningful chunk off any CLTC figure (see our range-anxiety guide). The electric-only portion of that 1,200 km is a fraction of the total; the petrol generator does the rest.
Is the ZEEKR 9X coming to the UAE?
ZEEKR has publicly indicated it plans to introduce the 9X, alongside the larger 8X, to the Middle East in the second half of 2026 (ZEEKR/Geely regional statements, 2025-2026). That is a stated intention, not a confirmed on-sale date or price. As of June 2026 the 9X is not yet GCC-certifiedand carries no official UAE retail figure. We will not invent one — when an official launch and homologation land, the picture changes; until then the only way to drive a 9X in Dubai is individual import of a China-market car.
What would importing one actually involve?
The 9X follows the same import path as any China-market EV we handle. As a reference point only, the China launch price is RMB 465,900-589,900 (ZEEKR, 2025); on our standard model the listed estimate is the China source price plus a fixed 5% EVPlus service fee, while ocean freight, the GCC Common Customs 5% duty, 5% UAE VAT and RTA registration are quoted at actual cost on signing rather than pre-baked into a single number (see our cost-breakdown guide). Because it is an EREV, the 9X also needs both motor-side and engine-side aftercare — the same dual-skill servicing our workshop already does for Li Auto and Avatr EREVs. Check the live /showroom for any 9X units we are actively sourcing.
Why an EREV flagship, and why it fits the UAE
The UAE is a long-distance country, and that is exactly where EREVs shine. A pure BEV has to plan around chargers on routes like Dubai-Salalah (~1,100-1,226 km) where fast-charging thins out and all but disappears across the Oman border; an EREV simply refuels at any ADNOC or ENOC station and keeps going (InsideEVs, 2024). The 9X applies that logic at flagship scale: full-size-SUV electric daily driving plus a generator for the long haul. It is the same reason Li Auto and Avatr EREVs already sell well to Gulf buyers — the 9X just adds a ZEEKR-tier interior and tri-motor performance on top. For the full BEV-vs-EREV trade-off, see our new-energy car-type guide.
The driver-assistance story (and its UAE asterisk)
ZEEKR positions the 9X as L3-ready hardware, reported with a 43-sensor suite including a roof-mounted 520-line LiDAR plus four solid-state LiDAR units (CarNewsChina, 2025). The asterisk for anyone buying a grey import: L3 conditional automation depends on regulatory approval and on China HD maps, so the map-dependent point-to-point features are typically region-locked on an imported car, and you remain the legal driver at SAE Level 2 under UAE traffic law (Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024). Self-contained functions — adaptive cruise, lane-keeping, AEB — generally still work. Our ADAS-in-the-UAE guide walks through exactly what is legal and what is liable.
Demand in China — and what it means for import timing
The 9X launched hot: ZEEKR reported more than 40,000 orders in the first hour, with cumulative deliveries reportedly passing 50,000 units inside about four months (ZEEKR/CarNewsChina, 2025-2026). For a UAE importer that is a double-edged signal — strong demand validates the car, but it also keeps used-market supply tight and prices firm in the near term. If you want a 9X in Dubai before the official H2 2026 regional launch, expect to pay close to China retail and to wait, rather than to find a discounted early-cycle car the way you might with a two-year-old 001.
What this means for a UAE buyer
The ZEEKR 9X is a genuinely flagship proposition: full-size, six seats, supercar acceleration, and EREV range security that suits Gulf distances better than a pure BEV of the same size. The two things to keep honest about are price and timing — there is no GCC-certified UAE version yet, China demand is keeping cars expensive, and CLTC range will read high versus a real summer highway run. If those caveats are clear, the 9X is one of the most compelling Chinese EREV flagships you can import today. Tell us your timeline and we will tell you, honestly, whether to import now or wait for the official Middle East launch.