Zeekr is set to hand management of its Brazilian business to the Renault-Geely joint venture, a shift that would replace the current dealer-group-led sales model with centralized control. Journalist Jorge Moraes reports that Ariel Montenegro, the executive who runs the Franco-Chinese alliance locally, is the frontrunner to take charge.
The reshuffle comes in response to disappointing numbers: the brand sold 571 cars in 2025 and registered just 522 more between January and August 2026. Tapping Renault's logistics base in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, would give Zeekr fast, nationwide distribution reach.
The closer alignment could pull other Geely-linked brands into Brazil as well. Imports of Smart and Polestar models are under review — Polestar announced a local debut back in 2024 but has yet to follow through — while Lynk & Co products are expected to share Zeekr showroom space and might eventually be built on the Paraná production line.
Three vehicles anchor the plan: the Zeekr X compact SUV, topping out at 428 hp in all-wheel-drive Flagship trim; the 544-hp Zeekr 001 shooting brake, whose 100-kWh pack recharges from 10 to 80 percent in under half an hour; and the Zeekr 7X, now the range's strategic centerpiece, with a newly added rear-drive Premium version making 421 hp on an 800-volt architecture.