Targeting Tesla, China's Geely to launch new premium EV brand

Employees wearing protective masks assemble Lynk & Co. 05 crossover sport utility vehicles (SUV) on the production line at the Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. plant in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China, on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

BEIJING: China's Geely plans to roll out electric vehicles under a new marque with different branding and sales strategies, people familiar with the matter said, as the Volvo owner looks to take on its main EV rival Tesla with higher-end vehicles.

The brand, positioned in the premium segment and named "Zeekr", will be housed under Geely's to-be-launched EV entity Lingling Technologies, according to three people, who declined to be named as the plan is not yet public. Reuters reported the plans for Lingling last month.