Geely has unveiled a vast new safety complex in eastern China, a flagship project shaped by the engineering competence of its Swedish subsidiary, Volvo. The Chinese car group wants to leverage its competitive edge and plans to make safety, alongside reliability, a sales argument in an increasingly crowded market.
The new facility carries a price tag of 2 billion yuan (roughly 240 million euros) and is located on the shores of Hangzhou Bay in Ningbo. Inspired by its Swedish namesake in Gothenburg, it is billed as the world’s largest automotive safety center.
Five records
Geely aims high. According to the company, the site has already secured five Guinness World Records, including the world’s largest automotive safety laboratory, covering almost 82,000 square meters, and the longest indoor crash-test track at more than 293 meters.
Alongside conventional crash-testing halls, the new center includes a wind tunnel capable of recreating extreme weather conditions, from snowstorms to heavy rain, with wind speeds of up to 250 km/h. Engineers work with more than 60 advanced crash-test dummies, including one model – known as Kevin – that carries sensors worth more than 1.5 million euros.
Absorbing know-how
These days, safety goes beyond metal and airbags, Geely argues. The center also houses laboratories focused on cybersecurity and data protection. A specialist team even tests interior materials for harmful chemicals and unpleasant odors to safeguard cabin air quality.
The site seems engulfed in superlatives but also mimics Geely’s strategy of absorbing know-how through the acquisition of legacy brands. Volvo’s influence is evident throughout the new complex.
Not surprisingly. Geely’s founder, Li Shufu, has spoken openly about importing the brand’s safety culture into the group. The Ningbo center is the clearest expression yet of that long-term transfer of expertise.
At the opening last Friday, Geely underscored that the investment is designed to steer it away from the brutal price competition that is choking China’s car industry. Jerry Gan Jiayue, chief executive of Geely’s passenger car arm, said that strong safety credentials offered a more durable advantage than fierce price reductions.
Countermeasure
Also, as regulators increasingly scrutinize electric vehicle safety, the new center can be seen as a countermeasure. These regulators are boosting their efforts to oversee EV safety following a series of high-profile incidents involving rival manufacturers, including Xiaomi. Particular attention has been paid to features such as hidden door handles that can fail after collisions.
Geely’s research institute is working with authorities on new standards in this area, allowing the company to present itself as a contributor to the development of regulations. The complex will not be kept behind closed doors. Geely plans to open the facility to other manufacturers.
