Chinese parallel-import cars have started "considering themselves stolen" outside of China.
A fresh and very telling case: the owner of a Zeekr 9X drove out of China toward Europe and immediately after crossing the border with Kazakhstan got a "brick."
The car independently restricted the operation of key electronic systems — navigation, multimedia, and some comfort functions. The owner was effectively left with a semi-paralyzed vehicle for 30 hours.
Zeekr officially confirmed: the built-in anti-theft protection system was triggered. It can automatically activate when crossing state borders if the car was not previously "unlocked" for international use through official channels.
This is no longer an isolated glitch. Parallel imports of Chinese electric vehicles and hybrids are increasingly facing the fact that the manufacturer reserves the right to remotely or automatically restrict functionality outside the domestic market. For dealers and buyers in Russia, Kazakhstan, and other countries, this means a simple risk: you bought an expensive car — and it suddenly decided it had been stolen.
The parallel import market for Chinese cars is growing rapidly, but along with it, the number of such "surprises" is also growing. Buyers should read the terms very carefully and clarify exactly how a specific brand's geo-protection works. Otherwise, you could end up in a situation where a premium crossover worth $70,000+ suddenly turns into a very expensive and very finicky brick.
