Gasgoo Munich- On April 11, at the Intelligent Electric Vehicle Development Forum 2026, Yang Xueliang, Senior Vice President of Geely Holding Group, delivered a keynote speech.
Below is the full transcript of his remarks:
Good morning. Chairman Shufu has just outlined the latest progress in Geely's green methanol ecosystem. Now, I'd like to discuss our path toward moving brands upmarket.
The global automotive landscape is shifting rapidly. By seizing the opportunities in electrification and intelligence, China's auto industry has achieved leapfrog development—powered by a unique innovation system and a complete industrial chain. Moving brands upmarket is not just a national mandate; it is the only path for Chinese automakers to build long-term competitiveness, achieve high-quality growth, and earn global respect.
This year marks Geely Holding's 40th anniversary. For four decades, we have upheld core values of putting users first, leading with strategy, and securing our "meta-motive power." We have remained true to our mission, focusing on our main business with technological innovation and quality as our twin engines. Our goal: to drive Chinese automotive brands up the global value chain and realize our vision of "leading a green and smart mobility ecosystem."
Guided by the "Taizhou Declaration," we unveiled our "One Geely, Fully Leading" 2030 strategy in January. We aim to forge a six-pillar strategic capability system centered on vehicles, ecosystems, technology, branding, talent, and sustainability. The target is clear: by 2030, Geely Holding must achieve global sales exceeding 6.5 million units and revenue surpassing 1 trillion yuan, securing a spot among the world's top five automakers. Specifically, new energy vehicles should account for 75% of sales, with overseas deliveries making up more than one-third. We aim to enter the top three among Chinese brands in global brand value rankings.
Zeekr, our global luxury technology brand, serves as the vanguard of this upmarket push. Since its inception, Zeekr has anchored its strategy on "value upward," leveraging hardcore tech and differentiated product concepts to deliver [[B1]]ultimate[[/B1]] experiences. To date, cumulative deliveries have reached 720,000 units, with an average selling price exceeding 300,000 yuan and the highest price tag nearing 900,000 yuan. The Zeekr 9X has secured the title of best-selling large SUV for four consecutive months, with March deliveries topping 10,000 units and an average transaction price surpassing 530,000 yuan—truly penetrating the heart of the foreign luxury camp. Over 80% of Zeekr 9X buyers are switching from brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, and Land Rover. Last month, the Zeekr 8X opened for pre-orders, generating over 30,000 orders in less than 48 hours—heat far exceeding market expectations. Our flagship matrix—comprising the Zeekr 009, 009 Glory, 9X, and 8X—is redefining benchmarks for Chinese luxury new energy vehicles under the banners of luxury, ultimate, and technology.
Zeekr's growth represents a multi-dimensional value upgrade spanning design, safety, performance, intelligence, and service. Behind this stands Geely Holding's accumulated technological prowess, full-industry-chain ecosystem capabilities, and global layout—our strongest foundation for driving brands upward.
We are building an integrated "space-earth" intelligent technology ecosystem. Globally, we operate 10 design and engineering R&D centers staffed by nearly 40,000 engineers. Over the past decade, cumulative R&D investment has exceeded 250 billion yuan, giving us a leading edge in batteries, intelligent driving, smart cockpits, automotive chips, and low-orbit satellites. This provides a continuous stream of technological momentum for our brands.
Driven by user needs, we are pursuing a multi-path strategy covering pure electric, intelligent hybrid, super hybrid, and green methanol. Our Aegis Gold Brick Battery has passed 36 extreme-scenario safety tests—23 of which exceed new national standards—setting a new benchmark for power battery safety. The new Haohan Super Hybrid marks the industry's first application of a tri-motor megawatt-level electric drive in the hybrid sector.
Our upcoming next-generation i-HEV intelligent dual-power hybrid technology, built on AI-powered hybrid technology, will deliver a disruptive experience combining strong ultimate performance with low energy consumption. Boasting industry-leading thermal efficiency and intelligent energy management, it aims to comprehensively outperform Japanese hybrids. Meanwhile, methanol-electric technology expands the boundaries of new energy applications, supporting national energy security and carbon neutrality goals.
The AI wave is accelerating the shift from "software-defined vehicles" to "AI-defined vehicles." The future car is a smart mobile terminal, a data carrier, and an ecosystem entry point. Geely has leveraged high computing power, large models, and big data to complete a full-domain AI layout, cementing our intelligent foundation. This year, we launched the WAM (World Action Model) to build a unified "vehicle brain." Empowered by WAM, our G-ASD pushes high-order intelligent driving into broader scenarios with its ultra-high model volume, massive datasets, and robust hardware platform. G-ASD already has over 430,000 users. The Zeekr 9X, equipped with the H9 solution, has been delivered and obtained an L3 autonomous driving road test license for all of Hangzhou. Cao Cao Mobility has initiated driverless Robotaxi testing in the city. Last month, G-ASD secured UN R171 international certification—the first time a Chinese intelligent driving system has successfully gone global.
Moving brands upmarket cannot happen behind closed doors; true value leadership requires going global. Geely Holding remains committed to a globalization strategy. While strengthening the parent Geely brand, we are coordinating global resources and increasing investment in international markets. We are leveraging the deep heritage of Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus in Europe and the U.S., Proton's localization in Southeast Asia, and partnerships with international players like Renault. Our goal is to create a new paradigm of open, mutually beneficial cooperation—shifting from simple product exports to a full value chain export of "products, services, and ecosystems" to win over global consumers. In the first quarter of this year, Geely Auto Group's exports surpassed 200,000 units, a 126% year-on-year surge and a record high for the period.
Throughout this process, safety remains the bedrock of our brand ascent and the root of user trust. Geely was the first in the industry to propose and practice a "full-domain safety concept." According to CATRC rankings on open safety technology patents, Geely has held the top spot among Chinese automakers for three consecutive years with 1,562 patents. Last year, the Geely Global Full-Domain Safety Center—one of the world's largest and most capable—began operations, covering everything from passive and active safety to new energy, health, and digital security. This center integrates Volvo's safety DNA and expertise, setting a global benchmark for automotive safety.
Looking ahead, the evolution of automotive intelligence is not just an upgrade of a transport tool; it is a reconstruction of the full-scenario mobility ecosystem. Geely has pioneered a "ground + low-altitude + low-orbit" integrated technology ecosystem. Last year, the Geely Constellation completed its Phase 1 network deployment, offering global services and supporting smart vehicles with high-precision positioning and low-latency communication. The Aerofugia AE200 rolled off the assembly line and completed its first phase of test flights. Cao Cao Mobility's "Green Smart Mobility Island" is now operational, accelerating the commercial rollout of Robotaxis. A smart mobility ecosystem integrating heaven, earth, humans, vehicles, roads, and clouds is taking shape.
Colleagues, there are no shortcuts on the path to moving Chinese brands upmarket. The intelligent transformation remains fraught with challenges. This is a protracted war, and a collaborative one. Geely Holding stands ready to work with like-minded partners to contribute to the high-quality, global development of Chinese automotive brands.
Thank you.
