The Chinese automotive giant Geely Auto Group announced the creation of Geely Technology Europe — a consolidated research and development hub that combined the company's engineering capacities in Sweden and Germany. This decision is aimed at optimizing vehicle development and speeding up the launch of new models in international markets.
Global strategy and Swedish roots
The new European center is based on Geely Auto's years of experience in the region. The history began back in 2013, when the Chinese, in partnership with Volvo, founded the CEVT center in Gothenburg. Now the structure is becoming larger: Geely Technology Europe will work in coordination with the main development institute in China. The main goal is to create platforms that meet global requirements from the first day of design, rather than adapting to them later.
Geely Technology Europe. Photo: Geely
Giovanni Lanfranchi, CEO of Geely Technology Europe, noted that Europe for the company is not only a large market but also a global benchmark of automotive excellence. The creation of a "borderless" R&D structure will allow the holding to not just meet standards but also participate in their formation. This is especially important for brands such as Zeekr, Lynk & Co, and Geely itself.
Six months for everything
One of the key KPIs for the new structure is the reduction of the time gap between model premieres in China and their appearance in foreign markets. Previously, this process could take years due to the need for certification and technical adaptation. Geely plans to reduce this period to less than six months. By 2027, the company intends to double the number of projects led by the European office.
Geely Design Global in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo: Auto&Design
The work will focus on three areas: co-development of global architectures, product optimization for specific markets, and digital solutions based on artificial intelligence. The latter includes "smart" cockpits and advanced driver assistance systems.
Technology and safety
An important step was the recent certification of the G-ASD driver assistance system. It received the UN R171 certificate, which is critically necessary for working in the European Union market. This opens the way for cars with this technology to official sales without additional bureaucratic hurdles.
Also, let's not forget about the largest safety testing center in the world, which will open at the end of 2025 in Hangzhou Bay. This facility was built taking into account the experience of Volvo, which emphasizes Geely's ambition to dominate not only in sales volumes but also in technological terms. The European hub will become the connecting link that will bring these developments to real cars on European roads.
