Geely is using the IAA Transportation in Hannover to showcase its newest products in the commercial vehicle segment. After the Farizon SV and V7E, the Chinese company premieres its electric Homtruck.
Geely is no stranger to those following mobility developments coming from China. It is the holding company which owns Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and Zeekr, among other brands, and the third largest Chinese vehicle manufacturer behind BYD and Chery. But since last year, Geely has also been more active in commercial vehicle activities in Europe.
After LEVC, known for taxis and vans, the group officially launched Farizon in Europe. In Belgium and the Netherlands, the light commercial vehicle-brand is distributed by Beherman. Farizon’s first models on the European market are the SV and the smaller V7E, both of which are also present on the group’s stand on the IAA Transportation. The event in Hannover is one of the most important events in the European commercial vehicle world.
The V7E is the latest addition to Farizon’s light commercial vehicle range. It was developed for last mile use, and offers a 6,95 m³ load volume and a 1.373 kg payload, with a range of up to 328 km on a full charge.
Homtruck: 500 km range
But the two electric vans are not Geely’s big showstoppers in Hannover. That is the Homtruck, which has its European première at the IAA. The electric truck extends the offering of the group from regional and last-mile light commercial vehicles to long range transport.
The Homtruck had already been launched for the Chinese domestic market, but the version for our continent was specifically tailored for European needs. It offers a 600 kWh battery capacity, which should give it a range of over 500 km on a full battery charge.
Chinese brands aim for e-trucks
The launch of both Farizon and Homtruck are part of Geely’s international expansion strategy, which it dubbed ‘Born Global’. The group says it wants to work closely with international partners to further develop “durable and intelligent logistical solutions worldwide”, extending its range from cars to commercial vehicles.
And it is not alone in doing so. After a big push with electric cars, more Chinese brands now seem to step up a gear in the commercial vehicle world. After Maxus and Farizon, Delivan also prepares to enter the European market.
And Homtruck seems to confirm signals that Chinese manufacturers won’t stop at light commercial vehicles. Add that to other new competitors like the Tesla Semi, which is now confirmed for a European launch, and legacy truck manufacturers will have their work cut out over the coming years.
