TL;DR: A premium, character-filled electric grand tourer that pairs genuinely violent acceleration with real luxury depth. The Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD feels meticulously engineered, richly equipped, and emotionally engaging. Minor ergonomic quirks aside, this is one of the most convincing high-performance luxury EVs on sale today.

I didn’t expect this car to get under my skin. That’s still the truth, even after sitting with it longer than planned. When I first heard I’d be spending real time with the 2025 Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD, my expectations were politely restrained. I’ve driven enough ambitious electric newcomers to recognize the pattern: bold design, big numbers, lots of promises, and a hope that novelty alone would carry the experience. Usually, it doesn’t.

But the Zeekr 001 didn’t fade into the background the way I expected it to. Instead, it embedded itself into my routine. Commutes felt calmer. Highway runs felt surreal in their silence. Even short drives felt deliberate, almost intentional. And somewhere in that quiet confidence, I realized what Zeekr had pulled off: this car isn’t trying to convince you it belongs. It already acts like it does.

There’s no reliance on history here, no borrowed nostalgia, no emotional leverage. The 001 Flagship AWD doesn’t ask you to believe in a legacy. It asks you to pay attention to how it makes you feel, day after day, mile after mile.

A shape that doesn’t apologize

The Zeekr 001’s design only really makes sense when you see it in person. On paper, it sounds confused. In reality, it’s refreshingly decisive. This is a shooting brake in the purest modern sense — long, low, and stretched across a generous 2,999 mm wheelbase, which gives it both presence and proportion .

At nearly five meters long, the Flagship has real road authority, but it avoids visual bulk thanks to a slippery 0.23 drag coefficient that subtly shapes everything from the nose to the tapering roofline . It looks planted even when stationary, and there’s a cohesion to the surfaces that suggests restraint rather than excess. Nothing here feels decorative for the sake of it.

The Flagship trim adds its own quiet flex. The Speed Orange paint is exclusive to this version, and paired with the standard 22-inch forged multi-spoke wheels, it gives the car an unmistakable presence without tipping into theatrics . The stance is wide, the proportions confident, and the overall silhouette feels resolved in a way many EVs still struggle with.

It’s the kind of design that doesn’t chase trends — it establishes one.

An interior that understands mood

Step inside the Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD and the exterior confidence doesn’t evaporate — it softens, deepens, and becomes something more intimate. This is not a cabin designed to shock you with minimalism or overwhelm you with screens for the sake of appearing futuristic. Instead, it feels emotionally tuned. Like someone asked not just how it should look, but how it should feel at different points in your day. Early morning. Late night. Stuck in traffic. Cruising home after a long one. The Zeekr’s interior adapts to those moments in a way that feels quietly thoughtful.

What immediately stands out is the material choice and how it’s used. The Flagship trim leans heavily into suede and top-grain leather, but not in a flashy, logo-heavy way. The stitching is detailed yet restrained, the surfaces feel warm rather than glossy, and there’s a sense of cohesion across the cabin that many luxury cars still struggle to achieve. This isn’t luxury as spectacle; it’s luxury as comfort. Everything you touch feels deliberate, dense, and reassuring, from the door panels to the center console to the steering wheel itself.

The seating deserves real praise. In the Flagship AWD, every seat in the car is electrically adjustable — front and rear — which instantly shifts the dynamic from “driver-focused” to “everyone matters.” The front seats add ventilation, memory, and massage as standard, and crucially, the massage function feels engineered rather than tacked on. It’s subtle, rhythmical, and effective over longer drives, easing tension instead of distracting you. After time with it, you don’t think about the feature anymore — you just feel better when you arrive.

Rear passengers aren’t treated as second-class citizens either. The ability to adjust rear seats electrically, combined with the long wheelbase, creates a sense of personal space that feels genuinely premium. It’s not limo-level indulgence, but it’s far more considerate than what most performance-oriented EVs offer, reinforcing the idea that the 001 is meant to be shared, not hoarded by the person behind the wheel.

Sound plays a bigger role in the cabin’s mood than you might expect, and the Yamaha surround audio system is perfectly judged for this space. Rather than overwhelming you with exaggerated bass or artificial sharpness, it delivers a rich, balanced sound that complements the car’s natural quietness. Music fills the cabin without feeling intrusive, turning long drives into something almost therapeutic and reinforcing the lounge-like character Zeekr was clearly aiming for.

Ambient lighting is another area where the Flagship shows restraint and maturity. The fully adjustable 12-color ambient lighting system, with brightness and color control, sounds like a gimmick on paper. In practice, it’s transformative. At night, the cabin can feel calm and lounge-like, or subtly dramatic, depending on your selection. It changes the emotional temperature of the space, making long nighttime drives feel less fatiguing and more immersive. It’s the difference between being inside a car and being inside an environment.

Screens are everywhere, but they’re integrated with intent. The 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster is clean and focused, delivering essential information without visual noise. The 15.4-inch central display anchors the cabin, acting as the control hub without feeling like a tablet glued to the dashboard. The 14.7-inch head-up display projects information clearly and confidently, reducing the need to constantly glance down. And then there’s the Flagship-exclusive 5.7-inch rear console screen, which subtly changes how the car feels for passengers. Rear occupants can adjust climate settings, manage media, and feel involved rather than ignored. It’s a small detail that has a big psychological impact.

Taken as a whole, the interior of the Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD feels emotionally intelligent. It doesn’t demand attention. It doesn’t shout about technology or luxury. It simply supports you, adapts to you, and creates a space that feels calm, warm, and considered — a place you genuinely want to spend time in. In an era where many EV interiors feel sterile or performative, that might be its most underrated achievement.

Silence, speed, and surprising confidence

This is the point where the Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD stops being something you admire and starts becoming something you crave. On paper, the numbers are already serious: a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup delivering 400 kW (544 hp) and 686 Nm of torque, fed by a substantial 100 kWh Ni55+ CTP battery pack . That’s enough to put it firmly in high-performance territory. But as is often the case with electric cars, the raw figures only hint at what the experience is actually like.

In everyday driving, the Zeekr behaves with a level of composure that feels almost deliberate. There’s no sense of urgency unless you ask for it. Throttle inputs are smooth, progressive, and easy to modulate, making the car feel relaxed and approachable in traffic. The standard high-performance air suspension plays a huge role here, ironing out rough patches and broken surfaces with an ease that makes poor roads feel far better than they have any right to. Crucially, it avoids the floaty, disconnected sensation that plagues some comfort-focused setups. You’re always aware of the car’s mass, but it’s a reassuring awareness, like the weight of a well-built object rather than something you have to manage.

The silence amplifies everything. Without engine noise, the car’s movements feel more precise, more intentional. Wind and road noise are kept impressively low, allowing the cabin to remain calm even at higher speeds. It’s the kind of quiet that changes how you drive, encouraging smoother inputs and making long journeys feel less taxing. In this mode, the Zeekr feels like a luxury cruiser first and a performance machine second.

Then you switch modes and lean into the throttle, and the transformation is immediate. The 0–100 km/h run takes just 3.8 seconds, and it happens with such speed and smoothness that it almost feels unreal . There’s no build-up, no dramatic soundtrack, no warning shot. The car simply compresses space. It feels less like acceleration and more like the world being pulled toward you. Passengers react instinctively — laughter, wide eyes, the occasional expletive — because their bodies register the force before their brains can process it.

What makes this performance so addictive is how controlled it feels. The intelligent all-wheel-drive system puts the power down cleanly and decisively, without drama or wheelspin. Even hard launches feel composed, almost clinical in their efficiency. There’s no sense of the car fighting itself or scrambling for grip. It just goes.

Through corners, the Zeekr 001 continues to defy expectations. The double wishbone front suspension and integrated-link rear setup give it a level of discipline that’s impressive for something of this size . Body roll is well managed, transitions are predictable, and the chassis remains settled even when you push harder than you probably should in a car this large. It doesn’t pretend to be a lightweight sports car, and it doesn’t need to. Instead, it offers confidence — the kind that lets you carry speed without tension, knowing the car will do exactly what you ask of it.

Living with the tech

Technology is the backbone of any modern EV, and in the Zeekr 001 it’s clear that this is an area the brand has taken seriously. The overall experience feels cohesive, thoughtfully layered, and designed to support daily use rather than overwhelm it. The infotainment system is rich with features, but importantly, it doesn’t feel chaotic. Menus are logically arranged, graphics are clean, and once you spend a bit of time with it, everything starts to feel natural. This is the kind of system that rewards familiarity, gradually fading into the background as it becomes second nature.

There’s a sense of maturity to how the tech presents itself. Nothing feels half-baked or rushed. Interactions are smooth, responses are quick, and the interface maintains a premium look and feel that matches the rest of the cabin. You get the impression that Zeekr wanted the technology to feel like an extension of the car, not a separate digital personality competing for your attention.

Voice control plays a genuinely useful supporting role. It’s capable, responsive, and far more practical than many systems in this space. Simple commands are handled confidently, and it quickly becomes a convenient way to manage everyday functions without taking your hands off the wheel. Rather than feeling like a novelty, it integrates naturally into the driving experience, especially once you learn how it prefers to be spoken to.

Connectivity is another strong point. Phone pairing is quick and stable, and once connected, the system just works. Navigation, media, and apps integrate smoothly, reducing friction and making the car feel instantly familiar. This seamless connection helps anchor the tech experience, ensuring that the digital side of the Zeekr 001 feels helpful rather than demanding.

The audio system deserves special praise. In a cabin this quiet, sound quality becomes a defining part of the experience, and Zeekr clearly understood that. The system delivers rich, immersive audio with excellent clarity and depth, turning long drives into something closer to a private listening session. Familiar tracks sound fuller and more engaging, and it’s easy to lose track of time simply enjoying the acoustics.

Climate control quietly reinforces the sense of polish. It’s powerful, consistent, and unobtrusive, maintaining comfort without constant adjustments. Even in extreme conditions, it performs reliably, allowing you to forget about it entirely—which is exactly what good technology should do. Overall, the tech in the Zeekr 001 feels confident and well-integrated, enhancing the driving experience rather than distracting from it, and reinforcing the idea that this is a luxury EV designed for real-world living, not just spec-sheet bragging rights.

Range, charging, and reality

Range is where electric cars stop being theoretical and start being personal, and the Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD approaches this part of the EV experience with a refreshing sense of realism. On paper, the WLTC-rated figure sits at 580 km, and crucially, that number doesn’t feel like marketing fiction. In mixed real-world driving — a blend of highway cruising, urban crawling, short aggressive bursts, and longer relaxed runs — the car delivers a range that feels honest and predictable rather than optimistic. You’re not constantly recalibrating expectations or doing mental gymnastics every time you glance at the battery percentage. Instead, the car settles into a rhythm where you quickly learn what it can do and trust it to do exactly that.

What stands out is consistency. The 100 kWh Ni55+ CTP battery pack doesn’t just exist to chase a headline figure; it supports a driving experience that remains stable regardless of pace. Drive calmly and the range stretches comfortably. Drive harder — and with 544 horsepower on tap, you will — and the drop-off feels proportional rather than punitive. The Zeekr doesn’t punish enthusiasm, and that alone makes it easier to live with than many high-performance EVs that see range evaporate the moment you enjoy them.

Charging fits neatly into that same philosophy of usability over bragging rights. With support for up to 200 kW DC fast charging, the Flagship AWD can replenish from 10 to 80 percent in around 30 minutes. In practice, that’s the sweet spot for modern EV ownership. It’s long enough to grab a coffee, answer a few messages, mentally reset, and short enough that charging never feels like the event itself. On longer journeys, the Zeekr slots naturally into your breaks rather than dictating them.

At home or at destination chargers, the 22 kW AC capability is equally important. A full charge in roughly 5.5 hours means overnight charging is effortless, even from a relatively low state of charge. It also makes destination charging genuinely useful rather than symbolic, especially in places where DC fast chargers aren’t always available. This dual-strength approach to charging — fast when you need it, relaxed when you don’t — reinforces the sense that the Zeekr 001 was designed around real ownership patterns, not edge-case scenarios.

Perhaps most importantly, living with the Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD never feels like living around the battery. The range is sufficient enough, and the charging flexible enough, that energy management fades into the background. You plan drives the way you always have, not around the car’s limitations but around your own schedule. And in an EV this powerful, refined, and quietly confident, that sense of normalcy is one of its most underrated strengths.

Verdict

The 2025 Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD doesn’t feel like a newcomer testing the waters. It feels like a confident declaration of what modern electric luxury can be when design, performance, comfort, and technology are developed with intent rather than imitation.

It’s brutally quick when you want it to be, serene when you don’t, and wrapped in an interior that genuinely feels premium rather than performative. Yes, long-term ownership questions remain — they always do with new brands — but judged on what it delivers today, the Zeekr 001 Flagship AWD is not just competitive. It’s compelling.

This isn’t a car chasing the future.
It already feels like it arrived there early.