China’s new SUV has more power than eight Toyota Corollas combined: Bonkers 2026 Zeekr 9X plug-in hybrid could head to Australia along with the coming Zeekr 8X SUV to tackle big name Germans

Premium Chinese brand Zeekr is on a roll and could launch a pair of SUVs hot on the hells of the new 7X.

Head of international markets at Zeekr Frank Li said there were plenty of new vehicles on the table for Australia.

“Yes definitely, some of those cars will come here, but we aren’t sure which one it is yet,” said Li.

Li made a point of talking about the big 9X SUV and the coming 8X large SUV. Both are plug-in hybrid and would fill several holes in the brands burgeoning line-up, and provide a counterpoint to the previous EV-only range.

The 9X could be the first cab off the rank for Zeekr as it has just launched in China.

Zeekr’s 9X is massive. It's about the same size as full-size American SUVs at 5239mm long, 2029mm wide and 1819mm tall, and would dwarf a Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol on Australian roads.

Power is off the charts, too.

It pairs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with three electric motors to make a neck-snapping 1030kW, or about the same as eight Toyota Corollas combined.

That’s good enough to propel the more than three-tonne machine from 0-100km/h in a supercar-rivalling 3.1 seconds.

Zeekr claims it can drive more than 300km on pure electric power thanks to its huge 70kWh battery, which is bigger than in most full electric cars. That range is measured on the generous China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC) rather than the benchmark WLTP, which is usually calculates about 25 per cent less range.

It has ultra-fast charging capabilities and can replenish the battery from 20-80 per cent in a claimed nine minutes.

The slightly smaller 8X could be another possibility for Australia. The 8X hasn’t been revealed in China yet, but expect it to mimic the 9X and have potent plug-in hybrid performance, long electric-only driving range and plenty of luxury kit.

Other models in Zeekr’s line-up are the modular Mix people-mover and the 007 sedan. However, the 8X and 9X would make the most sense for the SUV-loving Australian market.