Mercedes-Benz to utilise Geely’s technology

Jakarta – The Chinese automotive manufacturer Geely is increasingly asserting itself in the electric vehicle industry. The latest development sees Geely trusted to supply technology to Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Arena EV reported on Friday that the German brand plans to build a new platform for its small-sized electric cars, currently known by the code name ‘Phoenix’. To realise this, Mercedes-Benz is partnering with Geely for the electronic and electrical architecture, Geely’s GEEA 4.0. This technology is considered the ‘brain’ of the car, capable of controlling everything from the battery to the dashboard display. Before trusting Geely’s technology, Mercedes-Benz executives visited Geely’s research centre and dismantled their cars to see how they were built. They found Geely’s approach could help Mercedes achieve better profitability while still offering the high quality expected of the brand. This collaboration marks a milestone for the German company, as for the first time Mercedes-Benz has allowed a team of engineers outside Germany to lead a global programme. The team consists of around 2,000 staff who will oversee the design and development of new models. This is a major responsibility for the team in China, but it demonstrates the level of trust Mercedes has in local experts there. The platform used by Phoenix will underpin several popular Mercedes-Benz models such as the A-Class, B-Class, and next-generation CLA. The company expects these cars to enter mass production in 2030. The vehicles will be sold worldwide and not only in the Chinese market.