What Did Geely Acquire from Volvo?
3 Answers
Geely acquired the car company under the Volvo Group. The truck, bus, and marine industries under Volvo were not related to this acquisition. The Volvo car company under the Volvo Group was sold by Volvo to Ford in March 1999. On August 2, 2010, Geely purchased Volvo Cars from Ford. Manufacturing Bases of Geely Auto Group: Geely Auto Group is a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. It has established vehicle and powertrain manufacturing bases in Taizhou and Ningbo in Zhejiang, Xiangtan in Hunan, Chengdu in Sichuan, Baoji in Shaanxi, Jinzhong in Shanxi, and other locations, as well as overseas factories in Belarus and other countries and regions. Brands Under Geely Auto Group: Geely Auto Group currently owns the Geely Auto brand, Lynk & Co brand, and Geometry brand. It holds a 49.9% stake in Proton Cars with full management rights and a 51% stake in the luxury sports car brand Lotus.
From a technical perspective, I think Geely's acquisition of Volvo was quite impressive. They purchased Volvo Cars' entire business, including those advanced safety technologies, engine patents, and R&D centers, which instantly elevated Geely's status. For example, the famous safety system was directly adopted and improved upon in domestic models, significantly boosting crash test scores. Back in 2010, they spent $1.8 billion not only for brand rights but also for Swedish factories and a global sales network, which greatly contributed to elevating China's overall automotive standards. The key was the transfer of intellectual property rights—technologies like plug-in hybrid systems were applied to new models, making driving safer and more fuel-efficient, which overall gave a big push to industry innovation.
As an average driver, I’ve driven Geely cars before and noticed significant changes after their acquisition of Volvo. Geely didn’t just buy the Volvo brand and its entire car-making expertise but also absorbed manufacturing techniques and quality control, making the cars more stable and significantly boosting safety performance. I remember that accident—it was the improved body structure that saved me. The acquisition included design teams, production lines, and sales systems, enabling Geely to transition from the low-end market to mid-to-high-end segments. Even the interiors of their new models now feel premium. This benefits consumers greatly—offering peace of mind and reasonable prices. I see it as a win-win: elevating the image of domestic brands while making European-standard products more accessible.
