Shoppers inspect a Chery SUV on display in a mall in the Netherlands in June 2025. DE YONGJIAN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE
Chinese automakers are expanding their research and development operations in Europe as they work to develop models better suited to local regulations, driving conditions and consumer demand, as part of a broader effort to make overseas R&D part of product planning, design and engineering adaptation at an earlier stage.
Chinese automaker Geely Auto Group announced in March that it had established Geely Technology Europe, a unified European R&D center that brings together the company's engineering teams in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Frankfurt, Germany.
The group said Geely Technology Europe will work with the Geely Auto Research Institute in China on vehicle planning and development. It aims to support global vehicle programs and reduce the gap between new model launches in China and overseas markets to less than six months. The group also plans to expand the number of vehicle programs managed in Europe by 2027.
Chery has placed its European operations and R&D functions in Barcelona, Spain, giving it a role that covers both regional management and product adaptation. In April, the company opened its European Operations Center and launched the Spain R&D Institute in the city.
