Recently, a Chinese owner of a Zeekr 9X encountered extensive limitations on its smart features while crossing the border into Kazakhstan. Several essential functions, including the navigation system, the electronic fuel filler cap, and the storage compartment, were remotely disabled for over 30 hours , sparking widespread interest and questions about the limitations of using smart electric vehicles when traveling across international borders.
According to the owner, Mr. Liu, he began his self-driving journey to Europe on July 8th and entered Kazakhstan on July 16th. At that point, an alert suddenly appeared in the infotainment system regarding "location irregularities," and several non-driving intelligent features gradually malfunctioned. Mr. Liu added that he had purchased the vehicle six months prior for approximately 500,000 yuan and had informed the dealer in advance of his cross-border trip, but had not received any warning about potential system limitations.
On July 23, Zeekr responded to the Economic Observator, stating that verification showed the GPS had placed the vehicle in an area outside of China, triggering the built-in security protection mechanism. They explained, "The alert first appears on the screen, and if the location remains unchanged, the system begins displaying a continuous alert on the interface." The company officially confirmed that these measures are widely implemented in the industry as a preventative measure against theft and for regulatory compliance, in response to international import and export regulatory requirements , and to mitigate the risks of smuggling or illegal vehicle transfer.
Zeekr clearly stated that this mechanism does not affect the drivetrain, braking system, or any other essential driving functions, and the vehicle remains fully drivable at all times. The fuel filler cap can be opened manually by pressing and holding (for 5 seconds) the hazard warning button inside the cabin, and the cargo hatch can be opened manually by pressing it directly. After verifying the purpose of the cross-border travel, the user can obtain a temporary authorization code to lift the restrictions—this authorization is only valid within one country, and the lock may be reactivated when traveling between multiple countries.
Currently, the verification of Mr. Liu's vehicle is complete, and the alerts have been removed from the system. Zeekr announced that it will continue to improve these policies "based on user feedback to enhance the cross-border travel experience."
Data shows that Zeekr delivered 35,169 new vehicles in June 2026, a year-on-year increase of 111%; while total deliveries during the first half of the year reached 178,370 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 97%. As the premium smart electric vehicle brand of the GEELY Group , Zeekr is rapidly expanding in global markets, and this incident also reveals new challenges related to software and hardware integration in the context of exporting smart connected vehicles .
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