{"id":42739,"date":"2026-06-24T19:17:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T19:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/42739\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T19:17:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T19:17:30","slug":"he-spent-23-years-at-bmw-now-he-says-his-chinese-brand-is-just-as-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/42739\/","title":{"rendered":"He Spent 23 Years At BMW, Now He Says His Chinese Brand Is Just As Good"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Just six months into its European launch, Zeekr says it stands level with every German premium brand, and a former BMW man is making the case\n <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/author\/bradcarscoops-com\/
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by Brad Anderson<\/a><\/p>\n

2 hours ago<\/p>\n

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China\u2019s Zeekr has entered Europe with a lineup of four EVs.<\/p>\n

Its European chief says the brand matches German premium rivals.<\/p>\n

Zeekr wants showrooms in five German metro areas by year\u2019s end.<\/p>\n

Zeekr, the upmarket arm of the Geely Group<\/a>, genuinely believes its cars stand shoulder to shoulder with the best from Germany\u2019s premium brands. The man running Zeekr in Europe staked that claim in a recent interview, even though the company\u2019s European operations have been up and running for barely six month,<\/p>\n

That executive is Lothar Schupet, who logged 23 years at BMW<\/a> before crossing over. Under him, Zeekr has rolled out a handful of models on European roads: the entry-level Zeekr<\/a> X, the larger 7X SUV, the 001 estate, and the new 7GT. The brand is courting fleet buyers ahead of private ones for the moment, mostly because it currently has no dealership network anywhere in the region yet.<\/p>\n


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\u201cI am firmly convinced that our products impress with quality and performance,\u201d Schupet told Car-Editors<\/a>. \u201cIn my opinion, we are on par with all premium manufacturers. That\u2019s the basic premise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read: Zeekr\u2019s New SUV Looks Like A Rolls, Hits Like A Hypercar, And Still Burns Gas<\/a><\/p>\n

Based on our experience with the Zeekr 7X<\/a> earlier this year, we can understand Schupet\u2019s confidence. Jacked-packed with technology, the 7X feels every bit as premium as something from BMW or Audi, and yet costs significantly less.<\/p>\n

Dealerships Are Coming<\/p>\n

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During the same interview, Schupet added that Zeekr\u2019s initial goal in Europe was to reach as many business customers as possible, particularly those who had used vehicles from other premium brands in their fleets. As this has happened, interest from private customers has steadily grown. Although Zeekr doesn\u2019t have a dealership network, it has established several test-drive centers and has begun accepting \u201ca few hundred\u201d orders from private buyers.<\/p>\n

Zeekr hopes to have sales locations across five metropolitan areas in Germany<\/a> by the end of this year, including Hamburg, D\u00fcsseldorf\/Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, and perhaps also Berlin. These will join the 10 existing test-drive centers across the country.<\/p>\n

Asked which existing dealers Zeekr hopes to bring into its network, Schupet said they\u2019re aiming directly at the premium segment.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, we are specifically targeting dealers in the premium segment. These include the traditional German brands BMW, Audi, and Mercedes. But also Jaguar and Maserati dealerships that may currently have spare capacity and are open to something new. As a Geely Group brand, we are naturally also looking at Volvo and Polestar dealerships too,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

No European Production, For Now<\/p>\n


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Asked if Zeekr is interested in building its electric cars in Europe, Schupet acknowledged it\u2019s an option, but said there\u2019s no need to do so at this stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrategically, there is the option of producing locally,\u201d he said. \u201cThis has certain advantages, but also carries risks. The speed, flexibility, and agility with which things are done in China are not easy to implement in Europe. Bureaucracy also hinders many decision-making processes. While the punitive tariffs make it challenging to implement a sustainable business model with manufacturing in China\u2026 we have now found a business case that works.\u201d<\/p>\n


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