Zeekr says impacted vehicles will get free battery replacements, with warranties fully preserved. On February 9, according to information released by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, Zeekr will recall 38,277 Zeekr 001 WE models produced between July 8, 2021 and March 18, 2024, starting from March 6, 2026. Some vehicles within the recall scope may experience abnormal increases in internal resistance of the high-voltage power battery during long-term use due to manufacturing consistency issues in certain battery components. This could lead to battery performance degradation and, in extreme cases, thermal runaway, posing potential safety risks. Recall announcement for Zeekr OO1 WE models The recall carries the code S2026M0023V, indicating that it is a proactive recall triggered by a safety defect. The recall is understood to be a follow-on development from the battery cell dispute between Geely-affiliated companies and Sunwoda. Late last year, Geely-backed power battery supplier VREMT filed a lawsuit against Sunwoda EVB, a subsidiary of Sunwoda, alleging quality issues in battery cells delivered between June 2021 and December 2023. The Zeekr 001 is a key model equipped with this batch of Sunwoda cells. In 2022 alone, more than 70,000 units of the Zeekr 001 were sold, with the WE 86 version accounting for over 60% of total sales. As deliveries of the Zeekr 001 scaled up, some owners of the Zeekr 001 WE 86 reported issues such as slower charging speeds and inaccurate state-of-charge readings. Previously, Zeekr had already replaced battery packs free of charge for some affected WE 86 owners. Zeekr 001 On February 6, VREMT and Sunwoda reached a settlement. Addressing potential impacts on Zeekr 001 WE 86 vehicles using Sunwoda battery cells was reported to be one of the preconditions for the settlement. On the evening of February 9, Zeekr issued an official response to the recall. Vehicles within the recall scope will undergo inspection or cloud-based remote diagnostics, and those that have not yet received battery replacement will be provided with a new power battery assembly free of charge. Zeekr also emphasized that none of its currently sold models are affected by the recall. After battery replacement, the original warranty coverage for the vehicle’s three-electric systems will remain fully intact.