Geely’s CEO in Europe says electric cars aren’t the only solution

We spoke with Aiden He, CEO of Geely Europe, to understand how this newly arrived brand plans to grow in Portugal.

Geely recently entered Portugal and knows it won’t have an easy time ahead. The Chinese brand is entering a market already dominated by several domestic competitors, but it doesn’t intend to skip steps in this initial phase.

During a roundtable with journalists attended by Razão Automóvel, Aiden He, executive director of Geely Europe, explained that the first goal is quite simple: to establish a foothold in the Portuguese market before considering more ambitious targets.

When asked about expectations for Portugal, Aiden He was particularly direct: “There are many successful brands, not just Chinese ones, but also established brands. First we need to survive and reach 1% of the market. Then, step by step, we can get closer to the other brands.”

Portugal is still considered a particularly interesting market by Geely. The high penetration of electric vehicles and the demand for plug-in hybrids align with the strategy the brand aims to develop.

"Portugal is a truly important market. Electrification has grown very rapidly, and the share of electric vehicles is high. There is also strong demand for plug-in hybrids, so our portfolio is well aligned with market needs," he added.

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Coming later also has advantages

Geely enters Portugal after brands such as BYD, MG, Leapmotor, or Xpeng. But Aiden He doesn’t necessarily see this as a problem.

Asked by Razão Automóvel whether entering later is an advantage or a disadvantage, he admitted that there are both perspectives.

"I see one advantage first. Geely wants to learn. We don’t want to learn only from the Chinese market; we want to learn from local markets as well." The experience accumulated by other Chinese brands in Europe can also be helpful.

"Brands like BYD, MG, or Xpeng already have experience in Europe, which allows us to learn from what they’ve done. That’s an advantage." But there is also a less positive side: "We are behind," he admitted.

Still, Aiden He is confident in Geely’s experience in other markets: "Over the past 20 years, Geely has been involved in many technologies and different areas of the European automotive industry. Now we want to bring that knowledge to a broader market."

Keep in mind that although Geely now appears in Portugal as an independent brand, it is far from being unknown in the European automotive industry. Its parent company, Geely Auto Group, controls brands such as Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Smart, and Zeekr.

Nine models by the end of 2027

If there is one thing Geely should not lack, it is products. Currently, the brand has three models in Portugal, and 2027 will be a year of significant expansion.

“Next year we will have six more models. So, within these two years, we will have nine models,” He emphasized, admitting that the expansion efforts are not expected to stop there. For 2028, Aiden He mentions five to eight more models, though he notes that everything will depend on the needs of each market.

"There are different markets and different needs. We want to give customers in each country the option to choose what they are looking for," he said.

Electric vehicles aren’t the only solution

This diversity of powertrains isn’t accidental. Unlike brands that entered Europe focusing solely on 100% electric vehicles, Geely aims to offer different solutions, with Aiden He admitting that there is no single solution that works for everyone.

"I don’t think electric vehicles are the only solution. We have all kinds of electrification solutions and want to offer different products to different customers," he said.

European production starts with partnerships

Geely’s expansion in Europe isn’t limited to the models it sells. The brand has already announced a production facility in Spain and says it is considering other options in the future.

Asked by Razão Automóvel whether Geely might move toward its own production units in Europe in the future, Aiden He explained that for now the strategy focuses on partnerships: "We’ll start with joint ventures. Geely is a company that always wants to learn, so we have to be very careful and humble when entering a local industry."

The official does not rule out other options, however. “Even with 20 years of experience, we remain students. Right now we are working with our partners to analyze the different possibilities.”

Battery production is one of the issues still pending. “We need to talk to our battery partners and suppliers to figure out where and how we can obtain batteries. It’s an issue that is under consideration.”

For Aiden He, working with other companies is an important part of Geely’s strategy. “We always work together. We don’t believe we can do everything alone. We are experts in automobiles, but there are partners who specialize in other areas, such as semiconductors.”

In addition to rapidly expanding its product range, Geely aims to earn consumers’ trust. “We want customers to see Geely as a local brand, a reliable brand. The key word for me is trust,” he said.

To achieve this, he believes the product must speak for itself. “I’m not saying that the first impression is always enough. You need to drive the car every day. That’s what can prove the quality of our vehicles and gain consumers’ trust,” he added.

But a good car alone isn’t enough. “The product is the most important, but the second aspect is service. We also need spare parts, support, and a strong local network.” On this point, the executive emphasized the importance of the partnership with Salvador Caetano for operations in Portugal.

E2 has potential

The Geely E2 is one of the brand’s key bets for the European market, and Aiden He does not hide his confidence in this compact electric vehicle.

When asked by Razão Automóvel whether he believes the E2 can replicate its success in other markets in Europe, he replied straightforwardly: “Yes. I have confidence in the product.”

He emphasizes the demand for B-segment models in Europe and believes the E2 has what it takes to gain a foothold: “I see now that B-segment hatchbacks are very popular and there is high demand. Therefore, I am fully confident that this car can become popular in Europe.”