Chinese premium automaker Zeekr expanded into Spain and Portugal on Thursday, becoming its fourteenth and fifteenth markets in Europe.
Salvador Caetano was designated the carmaker’s exclusive distributor in both South European countries.
Sales for the Geely brand’s fully electric models — which include Zeekr 001, Zeekr X, Zeekr 7X, and the newly-launched Zeekr 7GT in Europe — are set to begin in the second quarter.
Founded in 1946, Salvador Caetano represents numerous European automakers, such as Audi, BMW, Dacia, Peugeot, Opel, Renault, Skoda, and Volkswagen.
Additionally, the multinational automotive group has become the main distributor in the Iberian Peninsula for Asian carmakers, including Toyota — the first brand it collaborated with —, BYD, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, and XPeng.
The agreement between Zeekr and Salvador Caetano establishes the formation of a dedicated sales and after-sales network.
Discussing the company’s European growth strategy, Zeekr Europe’s Acting CEO Lothar Schupet emphasized the importance of the Iberian market.
“Spain and Portugal are key to our continued European expansion. Demand for electric vehicles across the Iberian Peninsula is steadily increasing,” Schupet stated.
European Expansion
In 2023, Zeekr expanded to the Old Continent through Sweden and the Netherlands, expanding into Norway a year later.
Last year saw the premium brand’s biggest European rollout, with market entries in Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria.
Last Thursday, the company led by Conghui (Andy) An announced its expansion into Italy, marking the beginning of this year’s phase of the firm’s network growth in Europe.
With distribution by Jameel Motors, deliveries for the four-model battery electric (BEV) portfolio are expected to begin this spring.
Retail locations are also set to open in the coming months.
In January, Schupet told Reuters that the brand plans to enter France and the United Kingdom later this year.
Portfolio and 7GT Debut
Zeekr‘s current European lineup includes four BEV models: the Zeekr 001 shooting brake and the Zeekr X crossover SUV — both introduced in June 2023 —, the Zeekr 7X midsize SUV, which debuted in December 2024, and the Zeekr 7GT.
Last month, the Geely premium brand launched its grand tourer simultaneously in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
The model debuted and began deliveries last April in China, where it is marketed as Zeekr 007 GT instead.
Last week, the Zeekr 7GT was showcased at the Zeekr Center Stockholm, in Sweden, where it will remain displayed through February 26.
The company will begin deliveries for the new EV in Europe in July.
During the GT’s debut, Schupet stated it marked “the start of a very exciting year of expansion for Zeekr in Europe”, anticipating “more products to come.”
EV Adoption
Both Spain and Portugal have made significant progress in adopting EVs and accelerating the transition toward electrification in recent years.
In the first country, approximately 114,000 of all vehicles registered last year — or 8.4% — were BEVs.
Sales of fully electric vehicles jumped by around 75% compared to 2024.
In the fully electric passenger car market, Tesla remained in the top position throughout last year.
The Model 3 sedan was 2025’s best-selling electric car in Spain.
Meanwhile, Portugal saw its BEV registrations increase year over year by 34.5% to 56,156 units, achieving a market share of 21.2%.
Specifically, in the passenger car segment, 52,209 deliveries (23.2%) were fully electric models, according to data from the Associação Automóvel de Portugal (ACAP).
The US giant also led the Portuguese BEV market in 2025, with 7,585 registrations, with a 13.5% share.