Zeekr / SEA platform by Geely (Zeekr): status and timeline

Zeekr / SEA platform

Zeekr's SEA is a modular EV platform from compact cars to large SUVs, vans, and robotaxis. Waymo builds the Ojai robotaxi on SEA-M for autonomous ride-hailing across the US.

ScalingStage 5 of 5

SEA underpins Zeekr 001; SEA-M variant for Waymo's Ojai, in public rides since 2026.

Updated May 2026Checked 10 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Waymo Ojai robotaxi begins public rides in three cities

Zeekr brand established with SEA platformMar 2021Complete.
Zeekr 001 production begins, first SEA vehicle2021Complete.
Zeekr 001 achieves 700+ km range milestone2023Complete.
SEA-M platform unveiled for robotaxis and vansApr 2024Complete.
Waymo Ojai robotaxi begins public rides in three citiesTarget May 2026Current milestone.
Waymo expansion to 20+ US cities with OjaiTarget Q4 2026Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

May 2026Waymo Ojai robotaxi begins public rides in three cities (next)
Q4 2026Waymo expansion to 20+ US cities with Ojai
Q4 2026Waymo Ojai expands to Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, Dallas, Houston
2027Zeekr 001 next-generation refresh or successor model

Current obstacles

Platform complexity across multiple licenseesMultiple brands customizing SEA creates testing and support challenges; bugs in one variant affect trust across the ecosystem.
Competition from SAIC and BYD platformsChina's domestic EV makers (BYD, SAIC) also offer modular platforms at lower cost; Zeekr must justify premium pricing via software and design differentiation.

Physics limits

Modular design complexitySupporting multiple wheelbase, powertrain, and battery configurations increases validation burden; the more variants, the more edge cases to test and the higher the risk of software regressions.
Battery technology dependenceRange depends entirely on battery cell energy density, which improves slowly; SEA can optimize packaging but cannot change chemistry, capping achievable ranges without weight penalties.
Autonomous vehicle sensor maturityWaymo's six-generation stack is mature, but robotaxi reliability depends on redundancy and fail-safe design; the hardware platform must tolerate single-point failures with zero safety impact.

How it works

4 parts

Modular Architecture

Platform spans multiple vehicle types

SEA supports wheelbase options from 1,800–3,005 mm for city cars, SUVs, vans, and robotaxis with minimal re-engineering.

Battery Integration

Cell-to-chassis (CTC) design maximizes space

Cells integrate directly into the chassis without bulky packaging, reducing weight and enabling 700+ km range.

Rapid Development

50% faster R&D cycle

Modular design cuts development time to 2–2.5 years instead of 4–5 years typical.

Autonomous Integration

Hardpoints for sensor and compute mounting

SEA-M includes hardpoints and redundant systems for Waymo's autonomous stack and sensors.

Spec sheet

Spec	Zeekr / SEA platform
Wheelbase flexibility	1,800–3,005 mm^R (reported)
Interior space utilization	80%+^R (reported)
Zeekr 001 maximum range	700+ km^R (reported)
Ojai robotaxi sensor suite	13 cameras, 6 radars, 4 lidar units^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Papers & demos

1 item

2021blog
Zeekr brand launched with SEA platform foundation (opens zeekrglobal.com)Geely created Zeekr as a premium EV brand using proprietary SEA platform.

Update log

2 updates

May 2026

Major: Waymo launches Ojai robotaxi built by Zeekr, begins public ridesPressHardware

Apr 2024

Major: Zeekr unveils SEA-M architecture with Zeekr Mix family vanPressHardware

About Geely (Zeekr)

The team behind Zeekr / SEA platform

Geely (Zeekr)

SEA platform, Zeekr premium EVs, Waymo Ojai autonomous vehicle

Geely is a Chinese automaker headquartered in Hangzhou. Its premium EV brand Zeekr builds on the SEA platform and manufactures the Ojai robotaxi for Waymo.

Zeekr's SEA platform achieves 80% space utilization (vs. 70% on typical EVs) by optimizing battery and drivetrain placement.
The Zeekr 001 was the first production car on SEA and now offers 700+ km range at competitive prices.
Waymo's Ojai robotaxi, built by Zeekr on the SEA-M variant, began public rides in 2026 and is expanding to 20+ US cities.

zeekrglobal.com (opens zeekrglobal.com)Company profile →

Founded: 199729 yrs
Headquarters: China
Status: Private
Valuation: private
Works in: VehiclesElectric cars
Coverage: 1 program · 3 updateslatest 1 May 2026checked 10 Oct
Customers: Waymo (opens waymo.com)
Partners: Geely Holding Group (opens geely.com)
People: An Conghui (opens zeekrglobal.com)CEO, Zeekr

Spec

Zeekr / SEA platform

Wheelbase flexibility

1,800–3,005 mm^R (reported)

Interior space utilization

80%+^R (reported)

Zeekr 001 maximum range

700+ km^R (reported)

Ojai robotaxi sensor suite

13 cameras, 6 radars, 4 lidar units^R (reported)