Zeekr, the electric vehicle brand under Geely, is under scrutiny following an investigation by the China Securities Journal, which alleges the company sold previously registered vehicles as new cars through its direct sales network across multiple cities in China.
According to the report, since May 2025, Zeekr has been marketing inventory vehicles that were already registered and insured—some of which were even transferred through corporate accounts—as brand-new units. These vehicles, described as “zero-kilometre used cars” due to minimal mileage, were reportedly offered to customers under “limited-time discount” promotions without disclosing their prior status.
Multiple consumers in Guiyang, Chongqing, and Guangzhou reported discovering that their vehicles had already been insured under China’s mandatory traffic insurance (交强险) or registered to other entities. In some cases, the official sale documentation listed third-party companies, such as Xiamen-based auto firms, instead of Zeekr. Buyers stated that they were unaware of these arrangements until after they had placed deposits or attempted delivery.
A customer in Guizhou stated that the vehicle shown to him was a 2025 model, but the one delivered was manufactured in 2024. Another customer in Chongqing claimed that a salesperson changed the explanation regarding the vehicle’s insurance history, initially stating it was an unsold export model, and later offering complimentary insurance as justification.
In some complaints, customers alleged they were asked to remit payments to third-party accounts unrelated to Zeekr. One buyer in Guangzhou said a duplicate website resembling Zeekr’s official platform was used during the transaction process.
These practices reportedly overlap with unusual sales patterns recorded in December 2024. Data from the China Passenger Car Association shows Zeekr’s company-account vehicle sales in Shenzhen and Xiamen spiked that month, accounting for over 86% and 90% of local sales, respectively. Experts have raised concerns that some of these vehicles may have later been redistributed to other cities and sold through indirect channels, possibly contributing to inflated delivery figures.
Some sales were facilitated through Zeekr’s regional partner, Xiamen Jianfa Auto, which manages both retail and financing. Complaints suggest that this partner assisted with processing insurance and ownership transfers before resale.
Legal experts cited in the report stated that if consumers purchase vehicles without knowledge of prior registration, their rights to transparent information and fair market value may be compromised. Zeekr has not publicly responded to the allegations as of July 19.
The incident comes amid Zeekr’s ongoing sales channel restructuring and Geely’s planned privatisation of the brand.
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