HANGZHOU, China: While Aurobay is a name that is still unfamiliar to many automotive players, it is already a global force in supplying a range of powertrain technologies including next generation combustion engines, transmissions and hybrid solutions.
In 2021, Volvo Cars and its parent company Geely Holding had created the Aurobay joint venture for powertrain operations.
Wang Ruiping, vice president of Geely Auto and also, president of Geely New Energy Powertrain R&D Center recently gave a presentation on Aurobay to a group of Malaysian media who toured the Geely Automobile Research Institute (or GRI) recently, thanks to Proton's technology partner and stakeholder Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
There is potential for Geely's developments in electric and hybrid powertrains, as well as architectures like the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) and Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) to be used in Proton's future product strategy.
Wang noted that the group's NordThor/E-Motive powertrains have been developed to offer the best hybrid electric drive experience and range as well as meet the strictest global emissions regulations for decades to come.
Also, in the near future, all Geely power trains will be further developed and produced by the Geely/Renault joint venture power train technology company HORSE.
Meanwhile, in the past year, Geely has developed new high-performance, high-density, long-range, ultra-safe batteries both through joint ventures and independently.
Also, Geely is a pioneer in developing green methanol as a viable e-fuel solution for a carbon-neutral future.
In addition to launching several new methanol-powered passenger and commercial vehicle models, the group, through joint ventures, has begun producing green and low-carbon methanol for vehicle and industrial usage.
In Anhui, Geely established a closed-loop methanol ecosystem with the world’s first 100,000-ton low-carbon methanol production plant using recycled waste emissions from the local chemical industry and Geely’s methanol commercial vehicles for transporting required input materials and the produced low-carbon methanol.
In Inner Mongolia, the first phase of a production plant invested in by Geely, producing up to 500,000 tons of green methanol fueled by wind and solar power, has been completed.
Meanwhile, in the smart vehicle era, software-defined vehicle features are a new battleground.
Geely has invested extensively in smart cabins, with the latest generation integrating large-model AI and user-friendly mobile device-inspired UI to improve user experience.
Regarding autonomous driving, via working with partners such as ECARX, NVidia, Mobileye, Baidu - Geely has made significant progress in developing safe, reliable, high- performance autonomous driving functionality and integrating AI to accelerate the development of improved autonomous driving technologies.
In the past year, Geely brands have already released L3-capable Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) functionality on Chinese highways and will release urban NOA in the coming year.
Plans to introduce L4 capable hands and eyes-free capable autonomous driving are progressing as scheduled for many of Geely subsidiary brands before 2030.
Also, for the foundation of a three-dimensional space-ground integrated mobility ecosystem, Geely has planned the establishment of a low-orbit “Future Mobility Constellation.”
Empowered by Geely satellites, current and future vehicles can access centimetre precision remote sensory data for safer and improved autonomous driving functionality and always connected data network necessary for improved smart vehicle experience.
In the past year, Geely has launched its second batch of satellites, with a third launch planned for later this year.
Also, Geely has, for the past several years, made investments into automotive chip development and chip making.
The latest NVidia DRIVE Orin chip platform has been implemented on Zeekr models to empower autonomous driving functions.
Several Geely subsidiary brands have also begun utilising ECARX latest dedicated smart cabin chips with AI support for improved user experience.
After Geely’s chairman Eric Li’s acquisition of mobile device maker Meizu, Geely portfolio companies have begun integrating the company’s expertise in mobile device software development to improve vehicle smart cabin user experience.
Polestar and Meizu have partnered in the past year to create a tailored vehicle OS for Chinese users.
ECARX and Meizu have partnered to optimize software and hardware development synergies for consumer electronics and vehicles.
Lynk & Co became the first brand to utilise Meizu’s vehicle tailored Flyme Auto OS, improving smart cabin user experience.
