A bold challenger to the Kia Carnival, boasting an open, space-first interior and 800V fast charging

Zeekr Mix has been spotted on Korean roads, stirring chatter as a formidable new challenger to Kia Carnival in the country’s booming family-car segment. This isn’t merely another Chinese-made EV; it’s pitched as a space-first vehicle that aims to win over Korean dads with an interior that feels more like a living room than a car.

Built on the EV-dedicated SEA-M platform, the Mix boldly eliminates the central B-pillar. What does that mean in practice? The driver’s door and the front passenger’s door open wide to either side, delivering an impressively broad opening. For loading a child into a car seat, stowing bulky items like a stroller, or packing camping gear, every moment you’d wish for “if only there were no pillar” is addressed. The opening is so expansive that even many minivans would be hard-pressed to compete.

Despite an overall length of 4,888 mm, the vehicle’s wheelbase stretches to 3,008 mm, yielding a remarkably spacious interior. The front seats rotate a full 180 degrees, and the second-row seats can slide far forward and backward, creating a true “moving living room.”

Power and range are equally striking. A peak output of 310 kW powers the substantial body, delivering about 421 horsepower. An 800V ultra-fast charging system rounds out the package, with a 7-minute charge adding roughly 100 km of range—making weekend long-distance trips much less stressful on the charger.

Pricing positions the Mix as a direct face-off with the Carnival Hybrid, with local prices starting around 54 million won. If imported, tariffs and certification costs would push the landed price into the low-to-mid 60 million won range. That places the Mix squarely against Kia Carnival’s popular Hybrid trims, setting up a dilemma for consumers: choose the proven safety and fuel efficiency of the Carnival, or bet on a comparatively unfamiliar-but-innovative newcomer with cavernous space and electric power.

The biggest hurdle remains the “Made in China” label, especially for a family-focused model where trust is paramount. Questions linger about whether removing the B-pillar can still meet crash-safety standards. Zeekr Korea is also preparing to roll out the electric sedan “001” and SUV “X” domestically, and adding the Mix to the lineup would further intensify Korea’s electric-vehicle landscape. If the Mix can overcome preconceptions about Chinese EVs and prove the viability of its bold space-saving concept, the domestic market could become even more dynamic. The results will be worth watching.