At this year’s Auto Shanghai, Geely Holding Group announced a major follow-up to the merger of Zeekr and Lynk & Co. This time, it’s consolidating its battery business.
Sources at 36Kr confirmed that Geely’s battery-related assets have been merged and reorganized under a new entity, informally referred to as Jiyao Tongxing.
The company combines legacy units—such as its “golden battery” and Shendun short blade batteries—under a unified brand: Shendun Golden Battery. In this structure, “Shendun” denotes Geely’s in-house battery safety architecture, while “golden” refers to the group’s core battery cell technologies.
Jiyao Tongxing now holds the largest short blade battery production capacity in the industry, operating six smart manufacturing bases across China.
This consolidation aligns with a broader restructuring directive issued in a year-end message from chairman Li Shufu, signaling a shift toward tighter internal integration across the group. The long-term strategy is anchored by a model comprising two horizontals and seven verticals:
- The two horizontals refer to platform-level integrations. The Zeekr and Lynk & Co brands are being unified under Zeekr Technology Group, with Zeekr positioned in the premium segment and Lynk & Co targeting the broader market. Similarly, Geometry and the London EV Company (LEVC) are being folded into the Galaxy brand, while Radar Auto joins Geely Auto.
- The seven verticals represent coordinated efforts across key technology areas: vehicle architecture, electronic and electrical architecture, autonomous driving, smart cockpit systems, electric drive systems, power batteries, and hybrid powertrains. The battery business consolidation falls under this vertical alignment.
Integration to reduce costs and boost efficiency
Battery integration has been underway since the year-end directive. As Jiyao Tongxing vice president and chief strategy officer Zheng Xin told 36Kr, the effort went far beyond a simple rebrand. It encompassed all of Geely’s internal battery operations, including personnel, supply chains, R&D, and production capacity.
“It’s a full-chain integration,” said Zheng, adding that the process took three to four months and is now essentially complete.
Under Jiyao Tongxing, Geely has brought together all of its battery-related entities, including Yaoning, Jidian, and Yaoneng. It may also take over management of Geely’s battery joint ventures with CATL and Sunwoda.
“As of now, we’ve completed the management-level integration. Going forward, Geely’s battery business will operate through a single entity,” Zheng said.
Jiyao Tongxing’s battery lineup centers on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) short blade cells—known internally as “golden batteries”—which will first power Zeekr models and later expand to mainstream offerings such as the Galaxy E5.
“In the current industry landscape, short blade batteries are mostly reserved for premium models. We’re aiming to change that,” Zheng said.
Jiyao Tongxing plans to focus its product roadmap on a small number of high-volume models—no more than ten SKUs, with each targeting a minimum production capacity of five gigawatt-hours. The strategy is to build cost and performance advantages by concentrating resources on flagship products in clearly defined segments.
Currently, short blade batteries account for approximately 90% of Jiyao Tongxing’s total output.
By consolidating internal resources, Geely expects to lower vehicle costs—not just through internal supply synergies, but also by streamlining the upstream supply chain.
Zheng cited an example: scaling up LFP output traditionally involves multiple firing rounds that can cost an extra RMB 2,000–3,000 (USD 280–420) per ton. But by optimizing furnace design during new capacity builds, that cost can be reduced to around RMB 1,000 (USD 140).
This kind of supply-side efficiency is central to Geely’s battery strategy: standardize specifications, scale production, and drive down marginal costs to establish a self-reinforcing industrial cycle.
Enhancing battery safety
The Shendun brand now consolidates Geely’s battery safety and core cell technologies under one banner. It will include three versions: a superfast-charging model for 800V platforms, a high energy density version for 400V systems, and a hybrid variant compatible with both.
The aim is to deliver uncompromising safety. “Whether it’s a RMB 30,000 (USD 4,200) car or a RMB 1 million (USD 140,000) car, safety is non-negotiable,” Zheng said.
Geely will clearly label vehicles equipped with golden battery cells and Shendun safety systems. Since it still sources cells from other providers, the group also plans to disclose specific suppliers in Shendun-equipped models.
“Regardless of the cell provider, the safety system remains consistent,” Zheng said.
Jiyao Tongxing’s development will continue to prioritize LFP chemistry and short blade architecture to balance safety, energy density, and cost.
Short blade technology itself enabled the integration. According to Zheng, affiliates Yaoning and Jidian committed to the format three years ago, aligning not just on technical direction but also on operational practices. This allowed the merged entity to scale rapidly without overhauling manufacturing lines.
Going forward, Jiyao Tongxing will push to improve performance by boosting energy density, charging speed, and cycle life. Variants will be introduced to match the needs of different vehicles and user groups across the Geely ecosystem.
Internally, the goal is to supply 30% of Geely’s battery demand within two years. Zheng sees two levers to get there: scale, which reduces cost, and yield and utilization rates, which ensure quality and consistency.
He cited the Yancheng factory as an example, where a single cell SKU keeps the plant at full capacity. That kind of volume stability reduces switching costs and enhances both product consistency and production efficiency.
Still, Jiyao Tongxing will not be Geely’s exclusive supplier. The company’s sourcing strategy remains diversified, just as it did in the internal combustion era.
“We’ll continue to work with companies like CATL and compete on healthy terms,” Zheng said. “And we’ll expand globally, exporting leading product technologies, brands, supply chain networks, and engineering capabilities.”
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Han Yongchang for 36Kr.