Geely could begin producing electric cars from across its portfolio at Volvo factories in Europe, as the Chinese automotive group looks to expand its European manufacturing footprint.

The move could see EVs from brands including Zeekr, Lynk & Co and Geely roll off the same European production lines as Volvo models from 2028.

For European EV drivers, it’s another sign that Chinese-owned car brands aren’t simply looking to sell more cars in Europe. Increasingly, they’re looking to build them here too.

Geely looks to European EV production

Geely owns a wide range of automotive brands, with Volvo Cars, Zeekr and Lynk & Co all sitting within the wider group.

According to reports, the company is considering using Volvo’s existing European manufacturing network to produce models from some of those other brands.

Volvo currently operates European factories in Ghent, Belgium, and Gothenburg, Sweden, while a new factory in Košice, Slovakia, is being developed with a focus on fully electric vehicles.

That gives Geely several potential locations for future European EV production.

There’s also an important financial incentive. Producing cars within the European Union could help Geely reduce its exposure to the additional tariffs imposed by the EU on electric vehicles imported from China.

Rather than shipping every vehicle thousands of miles from Chinese factories, localisation could also bring production closer to European customers as Geely's brands grow their presence across the continent.

Geely is already moving production closer to Europe

This wouldn’t be Geely’s first move towards European manufacturing.

The company has also announced plans to work with Ford to produce two electric SUVs at Ford’s Valencia factory in Spain from 2028.

And Geely isn't alone.

Chinese EV manufacturers are increasingly establishing European manufacturing operations. BYD is preparing its new Hungarian factory for production, while partnerships between European and Chinese automotive groups could bring more Chinese-designed EVs onto European production lines in the coming years.

It represents a significant shift in the European EV market. Chinese manufacturers are moving from being primarily exporters to becoming part of Europe’s automotive manufacturing ecosystem.

Which Geely EVs could be built at Volvo factories?

No final model line-up has been announced, but shared EV platforms make some candidates particularly interesting.

The Volvo EX30 is already produced in Ghent and uses Geely’s SEA2 electric vehicle platform.

That same architecture underpins the Zeekr X and Lynk & Co 02.

With those cars sharing underlying technology, European production of models such as the Zeekr X or Lynk & Co 02 could be a logical next step if Geely decides to make greater use of Volvo’s manufacturing capacity.

What does it mean for European EV drivers?

More European production could ultimately mean a wider selection of competitively priced electric cars available to drivers.

It could also make the distinction between a “Chinese EV” and a “European EV” increasingly complicated. A car might be designed using technology developed across several countries, belong to a Chinese automotive group and still be assembled in a European factory.