Chinese Carmaker Geely to Build its own Satellite Network

On Monday, the Chinese carmaker Geely has announced its plan to build its very own satellite network. To date, Geely is one of China’s world-renowned automakers, with investments in Daimler, Volvo, and Proton.

According to Reuters, Geely will be investing 2.27 billion yuan ($326 million) in a manufacturing plant where the low-orbit satellites would be developed. With the future satellite network, the company aims to offer more accurate data for its autonomous cars.

Reports further claimed that Geely is currently building its facilities in Zhejiang province’s city of Taizhou, where it has car plants. The company’s goal is to produce 500 satellites yearly by 2025, with 300 highly-skilled staff.

Geely’s satellite manufacturing plant will produce different models of satellites, some of which might be for other companies.

Carmaker Geely to Improve its Autonomous Vehicle Connectivity

In a press release, the Chinese carmaker Geely provided some details about its future satellite manufacturing plant.

The facility, which will be under Geely Technology Group, will mark the first attempt of a Chinese private enterprise to produce satellites. According to Geely, the “cutting-edge” facility will have four centers where manufacturing, testing, R&D, and cloud computing would take place.

Chairman of Geely Holding Group, Li Shufu said in a statement:

“The pace at which science and technology is developing has reached an unprecedented level, changing human society at its core. Today, the automotive industry faces huge challenges and equally huge opportunities. Geely must take the initiative to embrace change, develop through innovation, find new synergies online and offline, and cooperate with global partners to become a global technology leader, drive change in mobility, and create new value for users.”

Geely’s venture into the satellite development industry is reportedly part of its transformation into a global mobility technology group. Geespace, Geely’s development arm, will be in charge of implementing the company’s satellite strategy.

“Geely’s expansion into low-orbit satellites marks a significant milestone in the creation of a truly smart three-dimensional mobility ecosystem. Low-orbit satellites will be able to offer high-speed internet connectivity, highly precise navigation, and cloud computing capabilities”