Zeekr's shares soar on NYSE debut

Chinese EV maker Zeekr's shares soared 34.6 percent after its debut on the New York Stock Exchange late Friday, indicating global investors' confidence in the carmaker and the overall Chinese EV industry.

Shares of Zeekr, owned by China's Geely, traded as high as $29.36 after opening at $26, compared with its initial public offering price of $21. The stock closed at $28.26, up 34.6 percent.

Zeekr was established in 2021 to tap into growing Chinese demand for premium EV models. It took only 37 months for the company from establishment to getting listed on the NYSE, the fastest of any NEV maker in history.

The carmaker has five models so far, with another one to follow later this year. Its cumulative deliveries reached over 240,000 units by the end of April, with around 50,000 delivered this year.

Zeerk is speeding up its efforts to explore overseas markets.

It is to enter eight European countries and over 50 markets in other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East as well as South America and Australia. It had built a global network of around 380 dealerships.

Last year, Zeekr's operating revenue soared 62 percent year-on-year to 51.7 billion yuan ($7.15 billion).