Propietario de un Zeekr 9X queda bloqueado en el extranjero tras la desactivación de las funciones inteligentes durante 30 horas, desatando un intenso debate en internet

Recently, a Chinese owner of a Zeekr 9X experienced significant restrictions on his vehicle's smart functions while crossing the border into Kazakhstan. Essential features, such as the navigation system, the electronic fuel filler door, and the storage compartment, were remotely locked for over 30 hours , sparking a broader debate about the limitations of cross-border use of smart electric vehicles.

According to the owner, Mr. Liu, he set off by car on July 8, 2024, heading to Europe. Upon entering Kazakhstan on July 16, his onboard infotainment system suddenly displayed an anomalous location alert, after which several non-driving-related smart functions gradually stopped working. Mr. Liu stated that he purchased the vehicle six months prior for approximately 500,000 RMB and that, although he had previously notified the dealership of his cross-border trip, he received no warning about potential system restrictions.

On July 23, Zeekr responded to the Economic Observer , confirming that the vehicle's location was identified as extraterritorial, thus triggering an internal security protection mechanism. "First, a warning pop-up appears; if the location status remains unchanged, a persistent notification is initiated in the interface," the brand explained. It was emphasized that this measure is part of standard industry practices to prevent theft and comply with international import and export regulations, as well as to mitigate risks of smuggling or illegal transport of the vehicle.

Zeekr clarified that this mechanism does not affect critical driving functions—such as the powertrain or braking system—and that the vehicle remains fully operational. The fuel filler cap can be physically unlocked by pressing and holding the hazard light button inside the passenger compartment for five seconds, and the charging port cover can also be opened manually by pressing it. Once the authenticity of cross-border use is verified, the user receives a temporary authorization code to unlock the restricted functions; however, this authorization is only valid for a single country, so traveling between multiple countries could reactivate the lock.

Mr. Liu's vehicle has now completed the verification process and the system alert has been removed. Zeekr noted that it will continue to optimize this policy "to improve the user experience for cross-border travel, based on user feedback."

Official data indicates that, in June 2026, Zeekr delivered 35,169 new units, a year-on-year increase of 111%; and in the first half of the year, it accumulated 178,370 deliveries, representing a year-on-year growth of 97%. As a premium brand of smart electric vehicles belonging to the GEELY Group , Zeekr is rapidly expanding globally, and this incident highlights new challenges in the coordinated adaptation of software and hardware for the internationalization of connected and intelligent cars.