Established in 1986 by Li Shufu in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, Geely initially focused on refrigerators before transitioning to motorcycles in 1994.

[1][4][5] Geely is a phonetic transliteration of the company's native name 吉利 (pinyin: Jílì), which means "auspicious" or "propitious" in Chinese.

Proton Holdings is jointly owned (via subsidiary Linkstate Overseas Limited) with long-time Malaysian owner DRB-HICOM.

[6][11] In 1994, Geely transitioned into the motorcycle industry by acquiring a state-run firm, and started producing China's first scooter.

He wanted to prove that a Chinese company has the ability to produce luxury cars, according to his interview with CCTV in 2009.

[15]By 1997, the company had completed the construction of relevant factories and initial investment preparations to enter the automobile industry.

This made Geely the first private automobile company in China, whereas other carmakers are state-owned enterprises such as Chery.

[20] In January 2004, Li Shufu bought controlling shares in Guorun,[20] and in March 2004, the company was renamed Geely Automobile Holdings Limited.

[21] This strategy was seen as a "backdoor" entry into the Hong Kong stock market, providing a means for the company to raise funds.

[17] In the second half of 2003, the Chinese government initiated macro-control measures on the automobile industry and ended its micromanagement policies, which caused a sharp decline in the automotive market following years of growth.

Geely took advantage of the situation by starting its independent research and development effort, investing hundreds of millions of yuan in technological upgrades of its factory.

[26] From 2007 to 2008, Geely Auto shifted its strategy to focus on technology, quality, and service rather than competing on price.

[27] In January 2007, Geely Auto launched its Ukrainian semi-knock down (SKD) exports, by shipping the first batch of 300 sets of knock-down parts that would be assembled in Ukraine.

The engines helped Geely vehicles to compete in terms of power performance and fuel economy.

The brand was launched with three production models, all based on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) developed by China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT).

[47] In November 2024, Geely Holding Group refined the equity structures of its subsidiaries as part of a broader restructuring strategy.

[55][56][57][58] Proton is a national car brand of Malaysia that is partly managed by Geely Automobile Holdings.

[60] Radar Auto (Chinese: 雷达汽车), or Riddara outside China, is a battery electric pick-up truck brand.

[62] Zeekr (Chinese: 极氪) is a premium battery electric vehicle brand of ZGH owned by Geely Automobile Holdings.

[9] Lynk & Co (Chinese: 领克) was established in 2017 that uses technology developed jointly by Volvo Cars and Geely Auto.

It adopted its current name in 2017 to reflect its new mission of developing and producing electric commercial vehicles.

It was previously known as The London Taxi Company, which has roots from Manganese Bronze Holdings, the original manufacturer of black cabs that Geely acquired in 2013.

[67][68] Geely Geometry (Chinese: 吉利几何; pinyin: Jílì Jǐhé) is the battery electric vehicle range of Geely-based cars.

Previously independent, the Geometry brand that was established in 2019 was consolidated into Geely Auto as an entry-level battery electric product series in March 2023.

Emgrand (Chinese: 帝豪; pinyin: Dìháo) was launched in 2009 as a medium- to high-end luxury brand.

Englon (Chinese: 英伦; pinyin: Yīnglún) was launched in 2010 to replace the Shanghai Maple brand.

[71] Gleagle (Chinese: 全球鹰; pinyin: Quánqiú Yīng) was Geely's entry-level brand sold between 2010 and 2015.

[73][74] While Geely would deliver the car to the customer's address, buying one of the Panda models on offer did necessitate a trip to a traditional dealer.