US Tesla owner drives luxury Chinese EVs and immediately declares 'it's over'

Luxury Chinese EVs from Zeekr have just delivered a reality check that few American car buyers were expecting.

In a new video, Youtuber Gjeebs, who is a Tesla owner, gets behind the wheel of several Zeekr models and came away stunned.

After a full day of driving on road on track, his verdict is simple and dramatic: ‘it’s over’.

If these cars ever reach the US at their current prices, the electric car landscape could change fast.

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These luxury Chinese EVs provide a lot of bang for your buck

Zeekr is a premium electric brand under China’s Geely umbrella, which also owns Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus.

Think of Zeekr as China’s answer to BMW or Mercedes-Benz, but with a Silicon Valley tech mindset and EV-first engineering.

Youtuber Gjeebs sampled three models: the compact Zeekr X, the Tesla Model Y-rivaling Zeekr 7X, and the sleek Zeekr 001 shooting brake.

All are fully electric, all are packed with technology, and all left a strong impression.

The biggest surprise was the Zeekr X.

Roughly Golf-sized, it delivers up to 422 horsepower from a dual-motor setup and claims 0–60 mph in just 3.7 seconds.

It looks basic, but on the inside, it feels anything but cheap.

Alcantara headliners, stitched seatbacks, ambient lighting, and a Yamaha sound system give it a genuinely premium vibe.

There’s also clever tech, including automatic doors and a sliding central display controlled by finger gestures.

In China and Europe, it starts at the equivalent of about $21,000, which is an almost unbelievable figure for something this quick and well finished.

For reference, that’s in the same price range as the 2026 Hyundai Venue, which is officially the cheapest new car you can buy in America.

The Zeekr 7X raises the stakes.

Positioned squarely against the Tesla Model Y, it adds air suspension, Brembo brakes, frameless doors, and a minimalist but luxurious cabin.

On track, Gjeebs described it as ‘a missile’, with smooth power delivery and excellent throttle control.

At an overseas starting price near $31,000, he openly questioned how Tesla could compete if Zeekr ever matched that pricing in the US.

Then there’s the Zeekr 001, a long, low shooting brake with up to 536 horsepower, or significantly more in its wildest variant.

This one leaned hardest into luxury, with rose-gold trim, ultra-comfortable seats, and a suspension tuned more for refinement than aggression.

It reminded Gjeebs of cars like the Kia EV6 or Tesla Model S, but with richer materials and a stronger sense of occasion.

Why Chinese cars may never come to America

Tariffs remain a massive obstacle, though Geely’s existing US manufacturing footprint could provide a workaround for Zeekr, in the form of Volvo’s South Carolina plant.

And the majority of US carmakers themselves agree that Chinese cars will eventually come to the US market, although they will likely not cost $10,000 in the US.

In fact, a new study found that more than half of Americans are open to buying a Chinese car, so the demand is definitely there.

Whether they do end up in America or not, it’s clear that Chinese EV makers have improved by leaps and bounds.

While they’re perhaps more well known for producing really cheap cars, they’re already highly competitive based on performance and quality.

For legacy carmakers, the existence of these luxury Chinese EVs should be more than a little unsettling.

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