$GEELY AUTO(00175.HK)Geely Automobile CEO Gan Jiayue: Competition in the auto industry is a marathon, not just about the current prosperity

At the 2026 (19th) Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, multiple models from Geely Automobile Group (hereinafter referred to as "Geely Automobile"), including the Galaxy M9 and Galaxy V900, were unveiled on the same stage, with a constant stream of visitors at the booth. In an interview with Securities Daily, Geely Automobile CEO Gan Jiayue stated that competition in the auto industry ultimately comes down to a contest of products, technology, quality, and globalization capabilities. Facing intensifying competition, Geely Automobile is pursuing not short-term sales volume, but high-quality growth.

In the first quarter of this year, the domestic auto market was under pressure. Gan Jiayue believes that product homogeneity, the phase-out of the new energy vehicle purchase tax policy, and shortened new vehicle life cycles are important factors affecting market performance.

Against the backdrop of unabated industry competition pressure, Geely Automobile still delivered a relatively robust sales report for the first quarter. Data shows that Geely Automobile's total sales in the first quarter reached 709,000 units, setting a new high for the same period. However, in Gan Jiayue's view, sales growth does not mean that a company can only pursue scale expansion; more importantly, it is the quality and sustainability of growth. "Competition in the auto industry is a marathon; you can't just focus on the current prosperity. The essence of a car is still durability, reliability, and safety. Companies must maintain a sense of awe," said Gan Jiayue.

At the brand level, the "One Geely" strategy continues to deepen. Gan Jiayue stated that ZEEKR needs to "go up, up, and up again," focusing on the luxury segment; Lynk & Co needs to "broaden," highlighting sportiness, high-end, individuality, and fashion attributes; Geely Galaxy is tasked with opening up the market for mainstream premium new energy vehicles. With clear positioning, the greater Geely system can achieve diversified development while achieving synergy in underlying technology, backend R&D, and global resources.

Regarding intelligence, Gan Jiayue said that Geely has been implementing the "Intelligent Geely 2025" strategy since 2021, making early arrangements in computing power, algorithms, data, and AI team building, establishing the Xingrui Intelligent Computing Center, and releasing large models and a full-domain AI technology system.

Regarding the intelligent driving roadmap, Gan Jiayue believes that L3 still needs to exist. L3 and L4 are essentially the same, but their usage scenarios differ. L4 commercialization requires support from specific scenarios and operational systems. Geely's previous layout with Cao Cao Mobility was precisely to establish the key scenarios and operational capabilities required for L4.

Regarding supply chain relationships, Gan Jiayue stated that the automotive industry chain is very long; companies cannot be closed off, nor can they lose initiative. For example, in the field of intelligent driving, Geely Automobile has developed the "Qianli Haohan" high-level intelligent driving system, where software and algorithms must be firmly grasped; in the battery field, the company's self-developed technology, joint ventures with leading companies, and external supply together form an open and proactive system.

Globalization is also an important variable for Geely Automobile in the next stage. Gan Jiayue said that for Chinese auto brands to "go global," they actually need to "go local," entering local markets. Geely Automobile will not simply export products but will, based on the actual situation in different regions, achieve symbiotic and win-win outcomes with local industries and economies through methods like joint venture factories, technology introduction, and resource synergy.

(Source: Securities Daily)