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Geely to Unveil Its First European-Specific Car in 2027 as It Targets the European Market

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Geely is preparing a major step in its European expansion, with the Chinese automotive giant set to unveil its first car developed specifically for European customers in 2027. Designed at the company’s European headquarters in Milan, the new model will mark a shift in strategy as Geely moves beyond adapting vehicles originally developed for China and begins creating products tailored to European tastes, driving conditions, and regulations.

The announcement signals Geely’s growing ambitions in Europe, where competition among Chinese automakers is intensifying. The group, which also owns Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus, entered the European market with models such as the Geely EX5 electric SUV and the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid. Rather than relying exclusively on vehicles developed for its domestic market, the company now plans to give European customers a more distinctive product offering.

According to Geely product definition director Dennis Weinel, the first European-specific model is already in development and will be revealed next year. The vehicle will initially target Europe before potentially expanding into other international markets.

“This is really a product for Europe, and then from Europe it will go to other markets,” Weinel explained in an interview with Autocar.

Geely’s First European-Specific Model Is Being Developed in Milan

The upcoming vehicle represents an important evolution in Geely’s approach to the European automotive market. Until now, the company’s initial European models have largely been adapted from vehicles conceived primarily for Chinese buyers.

Weinel described these existing products as part of Geely’s “legacy portfolio,” explaining that the company had selected models according to its priorities for entering Europe and then made the necessary adjustments for local customers.

“The book was already written to a certain extent and we did the last mile on it,” he said.

That approach is now changing. Geely wants its future vehicles to reflect European expectations from the beginning of the development process, rather than relying on modifications made after a car has already been designed for another market.

Developing its first European-specific vehicle in Milan could give the brand a better understanding of regional preferences, from interior design and infotainment functionality to driver assistance systems and everyday usability.

Geely has not yet revealed the new model’s name, body style, powertrain, or technical specifications. Those details should become clearer as the planned 2027 unveiling approaches.

Geely Galaxy Cruiser Will Lead the Brand’s European Expansion

Before the arrival of its first fully European-developed car, Geely is preparing to expand its range with several new models, including a rugged SUV designed to challenge established off-roaders.

Codenamed Project KO11, the vehicle is a European-market version of the Geely Galaxy Cruiser, a model recently introduced in China. Its positioning places it in the territory occupied by the Land Rover Defender, combining an imposing exterior with hardware intended for demanding off-road conditions.

The Galaxy Cruiser features an impressive claimed wading depth of 800 millimeters, highlighting its focus on adventure driving and challenging terrain. It also shares its underlying architecture with the forthcoming plug-in hybrid version of the Lotus Eletre, although its engineering and styling priorities are directed toward a very different type of vehicle.

For Geely, the KO11 could serve as a halo model, helping establish a stronger brand identity and demonstrating the breadth of the group’s engineering capabilities.

The model will also help expand Geely’s European portfolio beyond conventional electric SUVs and plug-in hybrid family cars.

Geely Is Redesigning Its Infotainment System for European Drivers

Vehicle development is only one part of Geely’s European strategy. The company is also working to improve the software and technology that drivers interact with every day.

One of the most significant changes involves Flyme, Geely’s infotainment system. The current generation retains much of the interface and functionality used in China, but the company recognizes that European customers have different expectations.

A second-generation Flyme system is now in development, with a planned rollout in 2027. According to Weinel, the updated interface will place greater emphasis on multitasking, split-screen functionality, relevant information, and customizable widgets.

These changes could make the system more intuitive for drivers who expect a greater degree of flexibility and personalization from modern vehicle infotainment systems.

The update is particularly important as Chinese manufacturers increasingly compete with European brands on software quality, digital interfaces, and connected-car technology. An infotainment system that feels natural to European users could help Geely strengthen its appeal in a market where the overall ownership experience matters as much as the vehicle’s hardware.

Geely Responds to Criticism of Driver Assistance Alerts

Geely is also addressing complaints about the warning sounds generated by its driver assistance systems. Frequent alerts, intrusive chimes, and poorly timed warnings have become a source of frustration for some drivers across the automotive industry, particularly as manufacturers introduce increasingly sophisticated safety technologies.

Weinel identified three areas that Geely is working to improve: the volume of warning sounds, their acoustic character, and the logic determining when they are triggered.

“We are now addressing all three points to make this what our customers prefer while still being under the regulation,” he said.

The challenge is to make these systems less intrusive without compromising their safety functions or violating applicable regulations.

This work reflects a broader issue facing automakers operating in Europe, where increasingly comprehensive driver assistance requirements can introduce additional warnings and interventions into everyday driving. Finding the right balance between regulatory compliance and a comfortable driving experience could become an important differentiator for Geely.

The company says the changes are based on lessons learned from its initial European launch, suggesting that customer and media feedback is already influencing its product development priorities.

Geely Plans to Launch 10 Cars in the UK by 2030

Geely’s European ambitions extend well beyond a single new model. The company plans to introduce 10 cars in the United Kingdom by 2030, building a broader range designed to appeal to different customer groups and price segments.

Its current lineup includes the EX5 electric SUV, the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid, and the EX2 electric supermini. The range is expected to grow to five models with the addition of the Monjaro plug-in hybrid SUV and the KO11 off-roader.

The first European-specific model, scheduled to be unveiled in 2027, will represent a further step in that expansion.

Geely’s strategy also reflects a wider shift among Chinese carmakers seeking to establish themselves in Europe. Initial market entries often rely on existing domestic-market products, allowing manufacturers to build sales networks and establish brand recognition relatively quickly. Over time, however, local development and production can help companies respond more effectively to regional expectations.

BYD is pursuing a similar approach, having entered Europe with models originally developed for China before moving toward products tailored more closely to European requirements. Its Dolphin G plug-in hybrid supermini, which is planned for production in Hungary, illustrates the growing importance of regional product development and manufacturing.

For Geely, the objective is to evolve from a manufacturer adapting existing vehicles for European buyers into a brand capable of developing products with European customers in mind from the outset.

Can Geely Compete More Effectively With European Brands?

The launch of Geely’s first European-specific car could prove significant as competition in the region becomes increasingly crowded. Chinese manufacturers are expanding their presence with electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, advanced digital technology, and increasingly ambitious product portfolios.

Geely has several advantages, including access to the wider group’s engineering resources and its connections to established automotive brands such as Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus. However, success in Europe will depend on more than competitive specifications or attractive pricing.

Local customer preferences, software usability, driver assistance calibration, brand recognition, aftersales support, and the ability to meet European expectations will all play important roles.

The company’s decision to develop a car in Milan suggests that it understands the importance of local expertise. Its work on the Flyme infotainment system and driver assistance alerts also indicates that Geely is willing to revise existing products in response to feedback.

The crucial question is whether these improvements will translate into vehicles that feel genuinely designed for Europe rather than simply adapted for it.

With its first European-specific model scheduled for a 2027 debut, Geely is preparing to enter the next phase of its expansion. If the company can combine its technological resources with a stronger understanding of European drivers, it could become a more formidable competitor in the years ahead.

Source: Autocar; Photo: Geely

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Geely Builds a European Brain: New Tech Hub Aims to Shrink the China-to-Showroom Gap

Global expansion in the auto industry usually means more factories, more dealers, and more marketing muscle. But Geely is betting that brains—not bricks—are what it needs most right now. The Chinese automaker has merged its engineering operations in Sweden and Germany into a single entity called Geely Technology Europe, and the goal is simple: build cars for the world from day one, not retrofit them later.

This new hub consolidates research and development talent across the continent, effectively turning Europe into a central node in Geely’s global engineering network. The move builds on a foundation laid back in 2013, when the company partnered with Volvo to establish an R&D foothold in Gothenburg. What started as a collaborative engineering outpost has now evolved into a full-blown European brain trust—one designed to accelerate model launches and harmonize development across markets.

Geely Technology Europe won’t operate in isolation. Instead, it will function as a bridge between European expertise and the company’s main development center in China. The idea is to create vehicle platforms that meet global standards right out of the gate, rather than undergoing lengthy—and costly—regional adaptations later. That’s a subtle shift in strategy, but it has major implications for how quickly new models can travel from Chinese unveilings to international showrooms.

According to CEO Giovanni Lanfranchi, Europe isn’t just another market—it’s the benchmark. By creating what he calls a “borderless” R&D structure, Geely aims not only to meet regulatory and technical standards, but to help define them. That’s particularly important for the group’s expanding portfolio of brands, including premium EV players and globally minded sub-brands that need credibility in demanding Western markets.

One of the clearest performance targets underscores the urgency. Historically, Geely vehicles introduced in China could take years to reach overseas customers, slowed by certification requirements and technical tweaks. The new engineering setup is designed to slash that delay to less than six months. If achieved, it would dramatically compress development timelines and allow Geely to compete more directly with established global automakers.

The work ahead focuses on three core pillars: shared global architectures, market-specific product optimization, and AI-driven digital systems. That last category includes smart cockpit technologies and advanced driver-assistance features—areas where software development speed increasingly defines competitiveness. The recent certification of the company’s G-ASD driver assistance system for European use signals that Geely is already pushing forward on this front.

Meanwhile, the company’s broader ambitions extend beyond Europe. A massive new safety testing center in Hangzhou Bay—scheduled to open in late 2025—will feed data and development into the global pipeline. Built with lessons learned from Volvo’s safety heritage, the facility highlights Geely’s intent to compete not just on volume, but on engineering credibility.

Put it all together, and Geely Technology Europe looks less like a regional office and more like a strategic nerve center. If it succeeds, future Geely products may arrive in international markets faster, smarter, and more tailored from the outset. And in an industry where timing is everything, shaving years down to months could be the difference between chasing trends and setting them.

Source: Geely

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Geely Galaxy Cruiser Coming to Britain

If you were betting on who’d take the next swing at the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Geely probably wasn’t your first pick. But that’s exactly what the Chinese auto giant is doing with the Galaxy Cruiser—a square-jawed, tech-heavy SUV that looks ready to muscle into the luxury off-road club. And yes, it’s headed for the UK.

First shown at last year’s Shanghai motor show, the Galaxy Cruiser currently wears a “concept” badge, but only just. According to Geely design studio director Flavien Dachet, the production version is effectively locked in, with Chinese sales slated to begin before the end of the year. Exports will follow, and Geely Auto UK marketing boss Yan Tianxiao has made one thing clear: Britain is firmly on the list.

“We will definitely launch that car in the UK,” he said—no hedging, no qualifiers.

That confidence makes sense, because under the Galaxy Cruiser’s rugged styling sits hardware Geely knows well. The SUV rides on the SEA-R platform, the same architecture underpinning the Zeekr 9X and the plug-in hybrid version of the Lotus Eletre. This isn’t a body-on-frame dinosaur revival; it’s a modern, electrified foundation designed to scale from luxury road cruisers to something far more dirt-friendly.

According to Dachet, the Galaxy Cruiser pushes that platform harder than its siblings ever have. Testing in China’s deserts reportedly exceeded expectations, suggesting that this isn’t just a fashion-forward soft-roader wearing hiking boots for Instagram.

On paper, the concept certainly looks the part. There’s independent active suspension capable of controlling each wheel individually—useful when traction is scarce and terrain is unpredictable—along with steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems. Claimed wading depth is an eyebrow-raising 800 mm, which puts it squarely in Defender territory and well beyond what most “lifestyle SUVs” dare to promise.

Then there’s the AI layer. Geely says the Galaxy Cruiser uses artificial intelligence to support its advanced driver-assistance systems, helping identify obstacles and suggesting safer paths through tricky terrain. Importantly, it won’t override the driver’s inputs—a reassuring note in a world where autonomy marketing sometimes gets ahead of reality—but it’s clearly meant to act as a digital spotter for less experienced off-roaders.

Powertrain details remain officially unconfirmed, but the blueprint is already familiar. Expect the same plug-in hybrid setup used by the Zeekr 9X and Lotus Eletre PHEV: a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a substantial battery pack, reportedly around 70 kWh. Geely claims an electric-only range of up to 220 miles, though that figure comes from China’s CLTC test cycle, which is far more optimistic than Europe’s WLTP standard. Translate that to the real world, and expectations should be dialed back accordingly.

Still, even a conservative estimate would put the Galaxy Cruiser among the longest-legged PHEVs on sale. With three electric motors in the Zeekr 9X—and all signs pointing to a similar configuration here—four-wheel drive is a given. Power output hasn’t been announced, but the benchmarks are telling: the 9X produces a frankly absurd 1381 horsepower, while the Eletre PHEV is expected to land around 912 bhp. The Galaxy Cruiser may not chase those numbers outright, but “underpowered” won’t be part of its vocabulary.

What’s more interesting is where Geely positions this thing philosophically. Despite its blocky proportions and unmistakable 4×4 silhouette, the Galaxy Cruiser isn’t pitched as a hardcore rock crawler. Dachet openly admits the design team studied the usual suspects—the Defender, G-Wagen, and Ford Bronco—before crafting their own interpretation.

“There’s always the same recipes,” he said. “The codes are the same. It’s how we interpret it in a way that’s recognisable.”

That interpretation leans more toward luxury and family use than mud-plugging bravado. Think less overlanding purist, more premium all-terrain Swiss Army knife. In other words, it’s aimed at buyers who like the idea of rugged capability, even if the toughest obstacle they’ll face most days is a flooded country lane or a snowed-in driveway.

For Geely, the Galaxy Cruiser represents new ground. The company has spent years mastering electric platforms and premium sub-brands, but the rugged luxury SUV space—long dominated by European icons—has remained largely untouched. Breaking into that club won’t be easy. Brand cachet still matters here, and buyers spending Defender or G-Class money tend to be conservative with their loyalties.

But Geely has something those incumbents don’t: scale, speed, and a willingness to rethink what an off-road luxury SUV can be in an electrified era. If the production Galaxy Cruiser delivers on even half of its promises—and arrives in the UK at a competitive price—it could become a serious disruptor.

Whether traditionalists are ready for a high-tech, AI-assisted, plug-in hybrid challenger wearing a Geely badge is another question entirely. But one thing’s certain: the Defender and G-Wagen won’t be the only names in this fight for much longer.

Source: Autocar