Chinese electric vehicle maker Zeekr plans to launch its high-end EVs in Japan next year, including models that sell for over $60,000 in China. The company is preparing to meet Japanese safety standards and intends to open showrooms in Tokyo and Osaka by year-end. Zeekr, a luxury brand under China’s Geely automotive group, has rapidly expanded since its 2021 inception, debuting right-hand-drive versions of its vehicles and entering markets like Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore. With sales up 90% YoY to 100,000 vehicles from January to July, Zeekr now aims to expand into 50 countries, including South Korea by 2026. The company’s entry into Japan follows BYD’s, another Chinese EV maker, as Japanese consumers gradually warm to EVs, which still account for only 2% of new passenger vehicle sales.