LAS VEGAS — Chinese language electric-vehicle model Zeekr goals to double gross sales in 2023 to about 140,000 autos and plans to develop gross sales in Europe, CEO Andy An instructed Reuters.

Zeekr, a model created by Chinese language automaker Geely, bought 72,000 autos in 2022, principally in China.

Its 001 mannequin, priced at about 300,000 yuan ($43,600), competes with Tesla’s Mannequin Y crossover and different luxurious fashions within the more and more aggressive Chinese language market.

Tesla has minimize costs and trimmed manufacturing in China because it faces intensifying competitors from Chinese language manufacturers comparable to Zeekr. Tesla gross sales in December fell to the bottom stage in 5 months.

A second Zeekr mannequin, the 009, will go into manufacturing this month.

Zeekr sees alternative for development in Europe, An stated in an interview on the CES 2023 annual expertise convention in Las Vegas.

Later this yr, Zeekr plans to start promoting autos out there with assisted driving methods engineered with Mobileye, he added.

Zeekr and dad or mum Geely have a European base with Volvo, which Geely owns a majority stake in.

Zeekr and Waymo, Alphabet’s robotaxi unit, confirmed a prototype of an autonomous journey service automobile at CES.

An stated Zeekr plans to construct autos for Waymo in China, however U.S. manufacturing is a risk, “relying available on the market scenario.”

Zeekr isn’t planning to enter the U.S. shopper market, An stated.

Final month, Zeekr filed for a U.S. preliminary public providing, with out offering particulars on the scale or timing. Reuters beforehand reported Zeekr was aiming to boost greater than $1 billion within the IPO and looking for a valuation of greater than $10 billion.