Once, the most coveted cars on China's roads came from Germany, Japan, and the United States. Today, as China's new energy vehicle, or NEV, technologies go global, that flow of influence is beginning to reverse, and with it, the way Chinese automakers engage with the world is also changing.

Geely Auto is an exemplary case. Its approach to Europe has developed over more than two decades. Rather than entering solely as a new competitor, the company has combined investment, partnerships, and local development to establish a presence within the region's automotive ecosystem.

"Geely has a 40-year entrepreneurial history, and half of that time has been spent laying out our presence in Europe," said Alex Nan, CEO of Geely Auto International and vice-president of Geely Auto Group. The company began engaging with Europe in the early 2000s and has gradually expanded its footprint ever since.

That process is unfolding at a time of broader change in the industry.

Lothar Schupet, CEO of Zeekr Europe, said: "The car industry is very traditional in Europe. But now there is a disruption through electric cars and software-defined vehicles … that reshuffles the entire industry."

Together, these dynamics, China's rapid development in electric mobility and Europe's ongoing industrial transition, are creating new forms of interaction between companies, technologies, and markets.

China has emerged as the world's largest market for electric vehicles during the past decade, supported by a combination of industrial policy, supply chain development, and rapid domestic adoption.

Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows that China's total production of NEVs topped 16 million units in 2025.

Exports have also accelerated sharply. China's EV exports reached a record 2.6 million units in 2025, while the value of those exports rose to $69.6 billion, according to data from the think tank Ember. That figure was $21 billion, or 43 percent, up on 2024.

The geographic spread of exports is also widening. A total of 66 countries recorded $100 million or more in Chinese EV imports in 2025, which was 27 percent more than a year earlier, according to Ember. Europe remains one of the key destinations.

Complementary partnership

Geely's European involvement dates back to the early 2000s and is closely linked to the long-term strategy of founder Li Shufu.

Over time, the company has moved from initial market exposure to deeper forms of integration, including acquisitions and joint development.

A key milestone came in 2010 with the acquisition of Volvo Cars. The deal attracted attention as one of the first major overseas purchases by a Chinese automaker. In the years that followed, Volvo retained its brand identity while expanding its product lineup and global reach.

Stefan Lundin, chief communications officer at Geely Holding, said: "I think Europeans have a very positive image of Geely … everybody has seen the great success of Volvo Cars since their acquisition."

The purchase also enabled closer technical cooperation and, in 2013, Geely and Volvo established a joint research and development center in Sweden that allows for shared platforms and engineering resources. The collaboration later extended to new brands, including Lynk & Co and Zeekr.

Nan said that this long-term presence has provided Geely with familiarity in European markets, including regulatory systems and consumer expectations. The China-Europe Vehicle Technology, or CEVT, center in Sweden, he added, has developed into a hub for engineering talent.

Compared with newer entrants, such an established footprint has allowed the company to approach expansion in stages, rather than through rapid market entry.

Co-creation shift

Geely's development in Europe coincides with structural changes across the automotive sector. Electrification and software integration are altering how vehicles are designed and how value is defined.

Schupet described this as a period of transition.

"There is a disruption through electric cars and also the software development vehicles," he said, adding that these trends are reshaping customer expectations.

"We have, as a young brand, the power of a giant," he added, referring to access to Geely's global supply chains, engineering capabilities, and partnerships. At the same time, he emphasized that Zeekr operates with what he described as a "European soul".

That identity is reflected in its operations. The brand's global design center is based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and its European technology center employs hundreds of engineers who test, adapt, and refine vehicles for local markets.

"We design cars in Europe for Europe," Schupet said. "That makes us completely different to other newcomers."

Nan echoed this emphasis on integration and argued that success in Europe depends not only on technology, but also on a deep understanding of local expectations.

"We need to respect the rules, understand the users, and build strong partnerships," he said.

To guide this approach, he outlined what he calls the "four goods": good user experience, good partner relationships, high employee satisfaction, and strong brand value. These principles, he said, form the foundation for Geely's ambition to enter Europe's mainstream market, not as a disruptive outsider, but as a trusted participant.

Nan explained that Geely is tailoring its strategy across brands: Zeekr targets the 50,000 euros to 70,000 euros ($58,700 to $82,100) premium EV segment, while Lynk & Co focuses on flexible ownership models like subscriptions. At the more accessible end, models including the Geely EX5, which sells for around 30,000 euros, aim to broaden access to advanced NEV technology.

Underlying these efforts is a convergence of standards. Nan emphasized that Geely's vehicles are designed to meet the same expectations as established European brands in terms of safety, performance, and quality.

"In this respect, we are aligned with mainstream European automotive brands," he said.

Shaping future together

If technology is reshaping the automotive industry, perception is reshaping itscompetitive landscape.

For many years, Chinese cars faced skepticism in overseas markets, particularly in Europe, where brand heritage carries significant weight. Today, that perception is evolving rapidly, driven by both product performance and broader shifts in the industry and Schupet pointed to recent surveys that indicate European consumers are increasingly open to Chinese brands.

"A big part of the interviewees is already saying and understanding Chinese technology is a little bit ahead," he said.

In Germany, one of Europe's most important automotive markets, Geely conducted a survey of fleet managers, a key customer group, last November. According to Schupet, 80 percent of respondents said Chinese cars were already on par with or better than traditional European brands, and nearly as many expected to include Chinese vehicles in their fleets within the next three years.

For consumers, these shifts are grounded in real-world experience. Swedish driver Joakim Brodd, who has owned a Zeekr vehicle for two years, highlighted both practicality and design.

"It's so spacious and comfortable … but also it looks very sporty and dynamic," he said. "It has a lot of good technology and a really good range … I think it's a pretty sweet deal."

Such feedback reflects a broader change in how value is defined in the automotive market. While traditional strengths, such as engineering precision and driving dynamics, remain important, new factors, digital features, connectivity, and energy efficiency are playing an increasingly central role.

Nan attributed China's rise in the NEV sector partly to national industrial policy, noting that supportive frameworks have enabled rapid development.

"If there were no national policies supporting new energy development, there would be no Chinese NEV brands," he said.

At the same time, he stressed that long-term success depends on fundamentals.

"New energy vehicles are not created out of thin air; they are built on the basic capabilities of the automotive industry," he said, citing safety, quality, and comfort as essential foundations.

He also pointed to deeper structural strengths, including China's supply chain ecosystem, engineering talent, and culture of continuous improvement. These, he said, form the underlying drivers of innovation and competitiveness.

Looking ahead, both executives and observers see increasing convergence between the Chinese and European automotive industries. As electrification accelerates and digital technologies become central to vehicle design, the boundaries between traditional and new players are becoming less distinct.

Geely's approach, which is rooted in long-term investment, local integration, and cross-border collaboration, offers one possible model for navigating this transition. By combining Chinese technological capabilities with European expertise and market understanding, the company is positioning itself as both a participant in and a shaper of the industry's next phase.

"I believe Chinese cars, especially Geely, will become a very important part of the world automotive industry," Nan said.

From the streets of China to the highways of Europe, the flow of influence is no longer one-directional. Instead, it is becoming a two-way exchange of ideas, technologies, and ambitions that is reshaping not only where cars are made, but how the future of mobility itself is defined.

wangmingjie@mail.chinadailyuk.com