EUFrom 2028, cars from the Geely Auto portfolio will go into production at Volvo Cars’ European plants. An Conghui, who replaced founder Li Shufu as chairman of Geely Automobile on 17 August, said at the company’s half-year results conference that those plants “will become an important base” for the group’s localisation strategy.
Which plants are in play
Volvo runs two European car assembly plants today. Torslanda in Gothenburg and Ghent in Belgium are each rated at about 300,000 vehicles a year. A third, at Kosice in Slovakia, is an electric-only site with capacity for 250,000 and is due to start series production in early 2027.
Ghent is the plausible candidate, for a reason that has nothing to do with the announcement. It already builds the EX30, EX40, EC40, XC40 and V60, so its electric lines are running now rather than in two years. The EX40 and EC40 are also expected to end production there from 2027, with their SPA3-platform successors going to Kosice, which frees line time on exactly the timescale An described. Ghent was named in July in connection with contract manufacturing, with Belgium offering up to 119 million euros in support.
No model has been confirmed
Geely Auto covers the Geely, Zeekr and Lynk & Co brands, and An said only that the European plants would take “high-end vehicles” from that portfolio. Reporting since has pointed at the Lynk & Co 900 and the Zeekr 9X and 8X plug-in hybrid crossovers, but none of that is official and Geely has not named a car. An Conghui also remains chief executive of Zeekr, which is why the premium end of the group is where the guesses land.
The second European deal
This is not Geely’s only route into European production. In July the company signed a joint venture with Ford covering the Almussafes plant near Valencia, held 66% by Ford and 34% by Geely Auto, which adds two Geely electric SUVs from 2028 alongside three Ford models. Both deals point the same way: building inside the EU rather than importing from China, and doing it in factories that already exist.
The Volvo XC40 is a compact SUV sold exclusively with mild-hybrid petrol power in Europe, with the fully electric version now badged separately as the EX40. UK buyers choose between a 163 hp B3 and a 197 hp B4, both front-wheel drive, across Core, Plus, Plus Pro, Ultra and Black Edition trims from £35,840.
The Zeekr 001 is a large electric shooting brake and the car Geely's premium EV brand launched in Europe first. A 100 kWh battery is standard across the range, giving 620 km of WLTP range in rear-drive form, and the twin-motor versions make 400 kW. German prices start at EUR 59,990.
The Zeekr 7X is a midsize electric SUV built on an 800-volt system that charges from 10 to 80% in 13 minutes. Rear-drive versions make 310 kW and reach 615 km of WLTP range with the 100 kWh battery, while the twin-motor Privilege AWD makes 475 kW. German prices start at EUR 54,990.
The Zeekr X is a compact electric SUV and the smallest car Zeekr sells in Europe. A 2026 update grew the boot from 362 to 404 litres and lifted the 61 kWh version to 230 kW DC charging, or 10 to 80% in 18 minutes. German prices start at EUR 37,990 for the 200 kW Core RWD.
The Lynk & Co 01 is a compact plug-in hybrid SUV on the Geely-Volvo CMA platform. A re-engineered powertrain introduced at the end of 2024 raised combined output to 206 kW and 535 Nm, with 75 km of WLTP electric range from a 17.6 kWh battery. German prices start at EUR 42,995.
The Lynk & Co 02 is the brand's first battery-electric car for Europe, a compact crossover on Geely's SEA2 platform. A single 200 kW rear motor, a 69 kWh NMC pack with 66 kWh usable and up to 445 km of WLTP range. German prices start at EUR 35,995. Sold in China as the Z20.
