Dive Brief:
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China’s Geely Auto Group confirmed the production launch of its 16-in-1 Intelligent E-Drive, which integrates a full set of electric drive components into a compact unit that weighs just 165 pounds (75 kg) — less than the motor alone in some performance vehicles.
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It’s part of an 800-volt drive system that will debut in the new Geely TT, with the first deliveries slated to begin in August in China. The 16-in-1 unit is designed to be deployed in pairs, to support high-performance driving and an all-wheel-drive layout, for a combined output of 425 kW and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 3.8 seconds in the TT.
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“The Geely 16-in-1 Intelligent E-Drive strengthens Geely Auto Group’s in-house capabilities in electric powertrain development, intelligent control and advanced manufacturing, supporting our broader strategy of developing safer, smarter and more efficient new energy vehicles for global users,” said Li Chuanhai, Vice President of Geely Auto Group and President of Geely Automobile Research Institute, in a release.
Dive Insight:
A test Geely TT with the new power units averaged a record-setting energy efficiency of about 7.6 miles per kWh around China’s Qinghai Lake, according to the company. The company also boasts that its drive system achieves a 93.8% comprehensive efficiency on the China-market CLTC driving cycle.
Geely claims to have achieved this efficiency partly through an intelligent power optimization technology and AI-assisted power management. Geely also has been deploying its own agentic AI to vehicle interfaces, as part of a unified, vehicle-wide AI platform.
Meanwhile, the automaker boasted that in a separate performance challenge the dual-motor TT achieved a 28.6-mile (46 km) continuous twin vehicle drift on a wet surface. Geely also says that with the exercise’s sustained demands on torque response, control precision and thermal management, it provided a high-load demonstration of the drive system’s performance consistency.
Each of these characteristics is aided by a new cooling technology that reduces the maximum motor temperature by about 15° C.
Geely’s investment in electric vehicle hardware, and its emphasis on range and efficiency, is key to competing with other big rivals from China as it seeks global expansion, such as BYD. Of the 3.02 million vehicles Geely sold in 2025, more than half were “new energy vehicles” — primarily fully electric and plug-in hybrids models.
Via its Geely Holding, the China-based automaker’s portfolio includes Lynk & Co., Zeekr and Geely brands, as well as Lotus, Volvo and Polestar. Both Polestar and Volvo are officially headquartered in Sweden.
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently banned Polestar from selling new vehicles in the U.S. starting with the 2027 model year, under the Connected Vehicles Rule, while Volvo has been allowed.