Geely's "Hidden Champions" Territory Surfaces

The first half of the new energy vehicle race tests the ability to build hit models; the second half shifts the focus to the power to define standards for core components.

While many automakers are still weighing whether to self-develop components, Geely has completed an independent layout of the full three-electric chain, from batteries to electric drives and from hybrid to pure electric.

Shortly before this, Geely Galaxy held a "Star Drive Era" launch event to officially release the Thunder 16-in-1 Intelligent Electric Drive. On the same day, Star Drive Tech, carrying this electric drive product, made its first public appearance. This enterprise, expected to break 20 billion yuan in revenue this year, is the key move by Geely in laying out the electric drive track.

At the same time, the three "Hidden Champion" enterprises cultivated by Geely in three major areas of hybrid-electric, batteries, and electric drives — Haosi Power, Jiyao Mobility, Star Drive Tech — collectively announced, fully unfolding Geely's full-stack self-developed map for its three-electric systems.

These component companies growing within the Geely system are continuously entering the procurement lists of mainstream global automakers as independent suppliers.

Behind the 16-in-1, a dual narrative of energy efficiency and performance

In the new energy vehicle industry, the competition for electric drive integration is essentially an ultimate game about "space, weight, and efficiency".

For every additional component integrated, a set of connecting wiring harnesses is reduced, energy loss at one point is lowered, and chassis space is saved.

However, the higher the integration, the exponentially rising challenges in heat dissipation, electromagnetic interference, and reliability.

The Thunder 16-in-1 Intelligent Electric Drive released by Geely this time deeply integrated 12 core hardware items including motor, motor control, reducer, inverter, onboard charger, DC/DC converter, high-voltage distribution unit, vehicle control unit, battery management system slave control, thermal management controller, smart gateway, torque control module, and 4 software functions: smart energy management, smart charging management, smart motion control, and smart health management.

Image Source: Geely

It is reported that this system weighs only 75kg, significantly simplifies the power transmission chain, effectively reduces energy loss during transmission, and achieves a dual breakthrough in energy efficiency optimization and vehicle lightweighting from a structural level.

At the technical and craft level, this electric drive relies on Geely's mature 800V high-voltage platform architecture, paired with AI smart energy optimization technology, achieving precise distribution and efficient utilization of energy; it also breaks through energy efficiency bottlenecks further through multiple refined craft innovations such as 0.2mm low-stress ultra-thin silicon steel sheet material selection, high-precision gear honing process, and innovative inverted V gear structure, achieving the industry's highest comprehensive efficiency of 93.8% (CLTC) for mass-produced vehicles at this level, with energy consumption as low as 10 kWh/100km, turning every unit of electricity into vehicle driving kinetic energy efficiently.

In the Qinghai Lake energy consumption challenge, the Geely Galaxy TT equipped with the Thunder 16-in-1 Intelligent Electric Drive ultimately achieved an ultra-low energy consumption of 8.20 kWh/100km, successfully creating the "Lowest Energy Consumption for Driving a Mass-Produced Pure Electric Sedan around Qinghai Lake" Guinness World Record.

Beyond efficient energy saving, the Thunder 16-in-1 Intelligent Electric Drive also achieved a leap in power performance. The Geely Galaxy TT four-wheel drive comprehensive power is as high as 425kW, and 0-100 acceleration is as low as 3.8s.

It is reported that this system adopts a single-chip integration solution, integrating signal analysis, calculation processing, dynamic control, etc. of the power chassis into a high-computing-power chip, compressing the average 40ms of traditional control links to the fastest 2ms, achieving high-speed response of power commands.

Through AI deviation prediction control and adaptive PID algorithms, real-time torque deviation is reduced from 3% to 1%, making vehicle body attitude control more precise and delicate; 54-channel directional cooling technology is applied, doubling the heat dissipation efficiency compared to traditional oil channel schemes, reducing the maximum motor temperature by 15 degrees, effectively solving the problems of power decay and performance overheating under high-load conditions, creating an ultimate "human-vehicle unity" experience for users with no delay in response, no deviation in output, and no decay in continuity.

At the level of safety, reliability, and durability, the deeply integrated monolithic architecture design of the Thunder 16-in-1 Intelligent Electric Drive reduces a large number of external connection points and low-voltage wiring harness layouts, lowering the probability of failure from the source.

In the production manufacturing process, the precision of key processes reaches micrometer level, production data throughout the process is 100% traceable, ensuring the quality standardization and reliable zero difference of every electric drive and every component.

Meanwhile, this electric drive is also equipped with an industry-leading smart health management system. Through the electric drive AI lifespan prediction model, active checkups and maintenance are performed on key components, like a "online doctor" in the cloud, changing from "passive maintenance" to "active care", effectively ensuring vehicle safety and user experience for a long time.

Star Drive Tech moves to the forefront, globalization accelerates

Behind the successful mass production and launch of the Thunder 16-in-1 Intelligent Electric Drive is the deep technical accumulation and global industrial system strength of Geely's core ecosystem partner — Star Drive Tech.

As Geely's ace card for electric drive technology, Star Drive Tech has been redefining the boundaries of electric drive technology:

In 2021, the industry's first self-developed 400V silicon carbide electric drive was pioneered, equipped on Zeekr 001, and remains a classic benchmark for balancing electric drive efficiency and performance to this day; in 2024, the industry's first ultra-high integration 11-in-1 intelligent electric drive was launched, becoming the lightest weight, smallest volume, and highest comprehensive efficiency electric drive product at that time; in 2025, the world's first 900V high-performance magnesium alloy coaxial dual electric drive was released, creating the record for the highest power density and highest torque density of mass-produced magnesium alloy dual electric drive assemblies in the industry.

Star Drive Tech defining a new benchmark for global electric drive technology is not just a slogan, but a systemic capability based on a full-stack technical moat where "mass production + pre-research" advance on two tracks.

At the mass production level, the 900V high-voltage magnesium-aluminum alloy electric drive assembly, full-series silicon carbide motor control, and X-pin platform motors have been scaled up for installation, proving reliability and advancement in mass market validation; at the pre-research level, next-generation technologies such as amorphous alloy motors, three-level motor controllers, and embedded motor controllers have been reserved, leaving enough "technical margin" for subsequent product iterations.

Currently, Star Drive Tech has outlined a growth curve that is steep and almost unbelievable:

2022 revenue was 40 million, leaped to 600 million in 2023, broke through 1.7 billion in 2024, and reached 14.8 billion in 2025. From 1.7 billion to breaking 10 billion, it only took 1 year, nearly 6 times annual growth, which is rare in the automotive parts industry.

Image Source: Geely

Star Drive Tech CEO Lin Xiaoze stated that in the first half of this year, the installation volume of motors and motor controls of Star Drive Tech has firmly ranked in the industry top 3, with technical strength located in the global first echelon. According to him, based on predictions, in 2026, Star Drive Tech revenue will exceed 20 billion yuan.

Lin Xiaoze stated that Star Drive Tech showed its "ambition" from the beginning: if doing, must do global electric drive technology!

Speaking with hardcore technology, facing the world with a global layout, Star Drive Tech is turning ambition into reality. Starting from Geely's full series of brands, Star Drive Tech quickly opened up the situation and has become an electric drive partner commonly selected and recognized by global leading automakers.

Currently, Star Drive has smoothly entered the supply chain systems of many global known vehicle factories such as Volvo, Polestar, Renault, Jaguar Land Rover, etc., and multiple in-depth cooperation projects are steadily advancing. It is understood that Star Drive Tech has signed 30 billion in overseas orders, and the export in 2026 is expected to increase by 100%.

Behind the orders is a global layout map that is becoming increasingly perfect. Currently, Star Drive Tech has established R&D and after-sales service centers in Gothenburg, Sweden and many places globally, with Central European teams relaying cooperation, possessing the ability to respond timely to serve global customers 24 hours a day.

Overall, Star Drive Tech has built a global R&D and manufacturing network covering five major cities in China: Wuxi, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Quzhou, linked with Gothenburg, Sweden, possessing full-chain independent R&D and manufacturing capabilities from key components to assembly system levels.

Worth mentioning is that the globalization of Star Drive Tech is also accelerating. According to public reports, Star Drive Tech's first overseas factory in Malaysia will be put into production in 2026, becoming a bridgehead radiating the Southeast Asian market.

When the core competition of new energy vehicles moves from "vehicle integration" to "core component definition power", Star Drive Tech has the potential to become the "CATL" of the electric drive world.

New Energy Race Second Half, Fighting for "Supply Chain Sovereignty"

At the "Star Drive Era" launch event, Geely Automobile Group Vice President and Geely Automobile Research Institute Dean Li Chuanhai disclosed for the first time the three "Hidden Champion" enterprises cultivated by Geely in three major areas of hybrid-electric, batteries, and electric drives — Haosi Power, Jiyao Mobility, Star Drive Tech.

These three enterprises constitute the true "technical base" of Geely's new energy strategy, and also make Geely the only domestic automaker with global-level independent suppliers in three core tracks simultaneously.

Image Source: Geely

Haosi Power was merged and established by Geely's Aurora Bay Technology and Renault's Horse Tech. Geely and Renault each hold 45% shares, Saudi Aramco holds 10%.

Haosi Power has matched 25 global vehicle enterprises, covering brands such as Geely, Renault, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and is the only global hybrid solution provider in the industry that supplies multiple brands in Europe, America, China, and Korea simultaneously.

Haosi Power's products cover engines, transmissions, hybrid power platforms, and extend to range extender, alcohol-hydrogen alternative fuel and other diverse routes. Zeekr 9X is known as the "Strongest Hybrid SUV on Earth", equipped with the Hanhai Super Hybrid System with power breaking the megawatt level, which was made by Haosi Power.

Jiyao Mobility was established by Geely integrating its battery business, and unified Gold Brick Battery, Shendun Short Blade Battery into the Shendun Gold Brick Battery brand. Currently, Jiyao Mobility has built ten major intelligent manufacturing bases and three research institutes in cities such as Quzhou, Zhejiang, Jianhu, Jiangsu, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, Ningguo, Anhui. As of the second quarter of 2026, the cumulative shipment of cells has reached 75 million units. With the production of existing capacity, the total capacity will reach 150GWh, making it the company with the largest short blade battery capacity globally.

As mentioned above, Star Drive Tech, with its amazing growth curve and technical iteration speed, firmly stays in the domestic electric drive first echelon.

The three enterprises perform their respective duties, allowing Geely to form an independent closed loop of full-link from energy to drive, from hybrid to pure electric.

Then, why does Geely spend such great effort to cultivate three "Hidden Champions" within the system?

The answer is hidden in two macro trends:

First, Supply Chain Security. The crisis of "chip shortage and expensive electricity" previously made all Chinese automakers realize that core three-electric technology cannot rely on external suppliers. Self-research and self-production is not a question of "whether to", but a question of "whether to survive".

Second, Technical Standard Output. When Chinese new energy vehicle exports increased by 585% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, exporting complete vehicles is just a phenomenon, the real profit highland lies in the power to define standards for core components.

According to the sales data disclosed by Geely Holding Group on July 15 for the first half of 2026, the group's total sales reached 1,934,842 vehicles, creating a new high for the same period. Among them, New Energy vehicle sales were 1,100,893 vehicles, an increase of 10% compared to the same period last year, and the new energy penetration rate increased to 56.9%.

Listed company Geely Automobile cumulative sales in the first half were 1,422,958 vehicles, new energy vehicle sales 799,454 vehicles, with a penetration rate of 56%.

During the same period, Geely Automobile's overseas export volume reached 474,228 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 158%, this number has already exceeded the total export volume of the whole year of 2025. Among the total export volume, new energy vehicles accounted for 58%, export volume was 277,189 vehicles, a significant year-on-year increase of 585%.

When a car company's new energy penetration rate exceeds 56% and overseas exports double in growth, what supports all this is certainly not just product design or brand marketing, but the full-chain independent and controllable system behind it from batteries to electric drives, from hybrids to pure electric, from R&D to manufacturing.

Nowadays, the competition of China's automotive industry has upgraded from the contest of complete vehicle parameters to the fight for core supply chain sovereignty. As Li Chuanhai said at the launch event: "Hidden champions are the solid base for the stable development of China's industrial chain and also the greatest confidence for China's automobiles to participate in global competition head-on."