The results are being implemented; Geely's Chinese automotive design system is becoming more complete.

The grandeur of a vision and blueprint is often awe-inspiring, but what is most awe-inspiring is witnessing that grand blueprint being realized step by step. In the Chinese automotive industry, this vision is "Chinese automotive design style," an achievement that all automotive design professionals dream of.

I. Chinese automotive design style is gradually leading global aesthetic trends.

Chinese brands have grown stronger. In October, the market share of Chinese brand passenger vehicles reached 72.5%. The cumulative market share from January to October this year was 69.4%. In November, automobile exports reached 728,000 units, marking the first time in history that monthly exports have exceeded 700,000 units.

Overseas brands are further "localizing" themselves in China. Volkswagen has established a full-process automotive development center in China; Toyota is transferring its R&D decision-making power from Japan to China; and General Motors is upgrading from "in China for China" to "in China for the world".

The era of "competition for existing market share" has arrived.

In China, a country that accounts for more than one-third of the world's total automobile production, is the largest automobile exporter, and is a global hub for intelligent electric transportation innovation, "global cars" that do not attach great importance to the Chinese market are losing momentum; "Chinese design" is the current answer.

“To establish a ‘Chinese automotive design discourse system,’ an unavoidable question is: What is Chinese design?” said Chen Zheng, Vice President of Geely Automobile Group.

The confidence to answer this question comes from my achievements.

In October 2025, Geely Galaxy achieved its annual sales target of 1 million units. Behind this astonishing figure are several best-selling models from the brand; Geely must possess some design secrets.

II. The Construction and Gradual Implementation of the "Chinese Automotive Design Discourse System"

Does using Chinese-style design qualify as Chinese-style design? Obviously, Geely doesn't see it that way.

If we count, then Geely and many other brands succeeded more than a decade ago, but they are still continuously exploring and researching the full expression of "Chinese car design".

1. Continuation of the legacy of predecessors: Chinese design must originate from China.

In 2011, under the leadership of Peter Horbury, Geely's Styling Center created the "water ripple" design, which originated from Chinese culture. It was first unveiled on the Geely KC concept car in 2013 and has continued to evolve over the years.

By 2023, Geely Group had entered an era of rapid development in new energy vehicles, and Geely Galaxy became a new entrepreneurial brand in this new stage. The accumulated experience of its predecessors was inherited and innovated upon. The Geely design family element "water ripples" evolved into "ripples of light," combining the brand's classic elements with new technologies to give it a fresh look.

The evolution of family design language is not simply driven by aesthetic design concepts.

The design of Geely Galaxy stems from Geely Automobile Group's strategic emphasis on design.

The design leader is Chen Zheng, who joined Geely in 2022 and is the vice president of Geely Automobile Group. He said, "True Chinese design must find its own roots, have its own value proposition, and possess very distinctive characteristics."

Rooted in the core of brand culture, rooted in technological development, and rooted in user needs. These "three roots" are Geely's most important design philosophy and the starting point for all product design.

After Chen Zheng took office, Geely's Innovation Design Institute carried out an important research project, "A Study on the Aesthetics of Base Users Under the Influence of Chinese Culture." He personally led a team to conduct research in the front line of the market and carried out a lot of user insights in order to understand what kind of products Chinese consumers need.

All car companies conduct market research, but the level of importance and decision-making by the responsible personnel at Geely's design firm is rare.

This fieldwork spanned multiple representative cities in China, involving not only interviews with a large number of users but also a series of studies on their daily lives and travel scenarios, resulting in a wealth of video and textual records. It delved into culture, demographics, and aesthetics, exploring users from different generations, regions, genders, and social backgrounds, seeking to uncover the aesthetic DNA hidden within the Chinese psyche through inherent commonalities and differences.

Exploring and building Chinese design involves more than just market research; this vision is ambitious, and Geely is not acting alone.

At the first International Automotive Design Forum in December 2023, Geely Innovation Design Institute compiled the joint research results with partners from various sectors, exploring the construction of Chinese automotive design theories and systems. At the same time, it issued a strong declaration of its commitment to the goal of "Chinese design."

The wheels of progress have already begun to turn, so what should be the first step?

2. The first step towards a grand goal

In the vast ocean, to brave the wind and waves and reach the other shore, a route plan is the blueprint for success; drifting with the tide means forgetting one's original aspiration.

In December 2024, the Second International Automotive Design Forum was held as scheduled. That year, Geely Innovation Design Institute, through the design practice of several new cars, planned a blueprint for building "Chinese design," which was also an invitation.

Geely Design has made a grand vision: to invite elites from all walks of life to work together over 10 years to build a discourse system for Chinese automotive design and create good designs that can change the world.

2024 marks the first year of "Learning from All Schools" in Geely's "Ten Years, Three Stages" strategy. The solid first step has already yielded results, and Geely Galaxy has begun to develop its own unique character.

The "smooth" design originates from the shared aesthetic language of porcelain. The Chinese rounded corners are the foundation of automotive styling. Chinese patterns are symbols of the East. Comfortable cars are cabins that are more suitable for Chinese people.

Geely's first global model, the E5, has achieved cumulative global sales of over 210,000 units. Facing the global market, porcelain represents the greatest common denominator of Chinese culture in global aesthetics. Employing a calm, balanced, and restrained design approach, the design creates a "jade-like, flowing luster" aesthetic. The "West Lake Waterfront" design subtly brings Chinese patterns to the world stage through its quilted seats and textured trim.

Geely's new Galaxy A-class electric hybrid SUV, the Starship 7 EM-i, achieved a delivery volume of over 6,500 units in just seven days after its launch. Inheriting the Galaxy family's "ripple aesthetics," it utilizes Chinese rounded corners to create subtle, dynamic, and tactilely smooth lines and surfaces, embodying the elusive "spirit and vitality" of Chinese culture. The "shoulders relaxed and elbows dropped" sitting posture of the Chinese chair is tailored to the physique of Chinese users, allowing the body to relax.

These research findings come from every new car design practice and continue to empower the design of each new car. Throughout 2024, efforts were made simultaneously in three dimensions: product practice, theoretical exploration, and aesthetic origins. With a mutually reinforcing spiral development, the exploration of the discourse system of Chinese automotive design was initiated.

Competition in the automotive industry has shifted from a game of economics and markets to a brutal elimination process based on culture and innovation.

In the era of intelligent electrification, China's automotive industry has achieved considerable competitiveness in terms of technology and supply chain, and this can also be utilized by overseas brands. The R&D of joint venture brands has become highly localized in China.