China's Zeekr recalls over 38,000 cars due to battery risk

Zeekr has announced a voluntary recall of 38,277 units of its Zeekr 001 WE 86 models manufactured from July 2021 to March 2024, due to potential battery safety issues.

The company cited possible manufacturing deviations in internal battery components, which could cause increased resistance over time, leading to performance decline or, in rare cases, thermal runaway.

Starting March 6, affected owners will be invited to service centers for inspections, remote diagnostics, or free battery replacements.

The recall does not include current on-sale models, and Zeekr’s existing warranty policy remains unchanged, offering lifetime coverage for first owners and an eight-year or 200,000-km warranty for subsequent owners.

🔗 Source: TechNode

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

The recall comes after a settled battery lawsuit

The recall follows a settled legal fight between battery supplier Sunwoda and Geely affiliate Vremt, which is controlled by Zeekr Group and supplies batteries for certain Zeekr models 1.
In December 2025, Sunwoda said its subsidiary Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery Co Ltd (Sunwoda EVB) faced a Vremt lawsuit seeking RMB 2.31 billion (about $330 million) over alleged quality defects in battery cells delivered from June 2021 to December 2023 1.
On February 6, 2026, Sunwoda said it reached a settlement. Vremt will drop the case once the agreement takes effect, and both sides will split battery pack replacement costs based on actual expenses 1.
Analysts warned that recall provisions could weigh on Geely Automobile’s 4Q25 profit, tied to early Zeekr models that use Sunwoda cells 2.

The case puts focus on Zeekr’s supplier risk and battery plans

The problems trace back to Zeekr’s earlier approach of adding Sunwoda as a second supplier alongside CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd, a major EV battery maker) for the Zeekr 001. Weirui (Vremt) handled pack/BMS (battery management system) integration, and Zeekr holds a 51% stake 3.
Vremt blamed “product quality” defects in Sunwoda-supplied cells. Sunwoda said the vehicle’s BMS (battery management system) strategy could affect performance, which left responsibility split between the cell maker and the integrator 3.
Zeekr previously inspected affected vehicles and replaced packs for some owners outside the formal SAMR (State Administration for Market Regulation, China’s top market regulator) recall process. The SAMR-listed recall starts March 6, 2026 1.
After the issues, Zeekr promoted its self-developed “Golden Brick Battery” and vertical integration, which brings more design and manufacturing in-house to improve quality control and manage costs 3.