08/05 2025
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Multiple sources have revealed that Geely has recently undergone a significant restructuring within its smart driving department.
The ZEEKR smart driving team, alongside Geely Research Institute and Megvii's smart driving brand "MaxCh Smart," have all been integrated into Qianli Technology or its subsidiaries.
Notably, ZEEKR's entire 1,300-person smart driving team (ZID) has seamlessly transitioned to Qianli Technology without the need for interviews, maintaining their benefits and locations. (This decision was announced at a general meeting on July 30)
Smart's approximately 100-person smart driving team will also be relocated to Qianli Technology or the Geely Research Institute, with a streamlined interview process. Those unwilling to transfer will receive an N+1 compensation package.
Lotus's smart driving team, focusing on high-performance racetracks, will remain unaffected by these adjustments for the time being.
This move signifies Geely's commitment to consolidating resources and establishing a unified smart driving technology platform, fostering the strategy of "full-stack independent research and development + cross-domain integration."
Qianli Technology, at the heart of this integration, began as Lifan Technology in Chongqing in 1997, initially specializing in motorcycles. Amidst high debts accumulated from following the automotive manufacturing trend, the company underwent judicial reorganization in 2020, with strategic investors like Geely and Liangjiang New Area stepping in to sustain operations. In 2022, Lifan partnered with Geely to produce Ruilan Electric Vehicles tailored for customized battery swapping in online car-hailing services. By February 2025, this partnership was rebranded as Qianli Technology, now primarily manufacturing customized vehicles for B-end customers like Didi and Cao Cao Mobility.
Following this integration with ZEEKR, Qianli Technology will spearhead the core research and development efforts for Geely's advanced "Qianli Haohan" smart driving system.
The "Qianli Haohan" platform boasts innovative features such as NOA in unmapped cities, automated parking in mechanical spaces, and ultra-high-speed braking at 130km/h. It has already been deployed on the ZEEKR 9X flagship model, equipped with an L3-level smart driving technology architecture.
Chen Qi, Geely's chief smart driving scientist, asserts that integrating the ZEEKR team will bolster Qianli Technology's prowess in algorithm engineering, accelerating computational power, data processing, and algorithm iteration.
Unlike ZEEKR's "overall migration," Smart's smart driving team members have the option to transfer to Qianli Technology or the Geely Research Institute, subject to a straightforward internal interview (according to insiders, the interview process is not stringent). For employees who decline the adjustment, Geely offers an "N+1" compensation package.
Initially, the Smart team received an internal notice in early July proposing a transfer to ZEEKR. However, due to Geely's overall strategic adjustment, the final plan was revised to redirect them to Qianli Technology or the Research Institute.