Gasgoo Munich-Geely Holding Group released its first-quarter sales figures for 2026 on April 14. Total group sales across all brands hit 937,900 units — the best performance on record for the period. New energy vehicle sales climbed to 491,000 units, a 5.8% year-on-year increase, pushing the penetration rate to 52.4%. In other words, one in every two cars sold is now a new energy model.
Image Source: Geely Holding Group
Operating 12 core brands — including Geely, Volvo, Lotus, and Proton — Geely Holding also made significant strides overseas. Exports jumped 126% year-on-year to 203,000 units in the first quarter, setting a new record, with new energy models making up 64% of the total.
Zooming in on specific brands, Geely Auto moved 709,400 units in the first quarter — another record high. Its new energy sales rose 9% to 369,100 units, achieving a 52% penetration rate. The China Star series contributed 311,800 units, shoring up the internal combustion engine base, while the Galaxy series moved 238,800 units, reaching a cumulative milestone of 2 million units in just 37 months. Premium brand Zeekr delivered 77,000 vehicles, an 86% surge, with its 9X model maintaining a lead in the 500,000-yuan premium MPV segment. Lynk & Co sales climbed 12% to 81,600 units. Meanwhile, Volvo Cars reported 153,000 first-quarter sales with a 47.3% new energy penetration rate, and Proton notched 49,000 units — its best first-quarter showing since 2004.
Separately, Geely Auto Group unveiled its next-generation AI hybrid technology — i-HEV — on April 13. Powered by Domain-wide AI 2.0, the system achieves a tested combined fuel consumption of 2.22 liters per 100 kilometers and a thermal efficiency of 48.41%, the highest among mass-produced engines globally. It also secured the industry's first Level 1 energy efficiency certification for a hybrid model. The technology enters production immediately and will debut this year in core models including the Xingrui, Xingyue L, the fourth-generation Boyue L, and the fifth-generation Emgrand. Pre-sales for the i-HEV versions of the Xingyue L and Xingrui open on April 19.
