Geely’s ECRI: A collaborative engine for global vehicle development
Geely Auto Group has been developing a capability that sits between an automaker’s R&D capacity and the needs of global manufacturers: The External Collaboration Research Institute (ECRI)
Speaking to AMS during a visit to Geely’s R&D centre on Hangzhou Bay, Xiaojuan Wang, president of ECRI, laid out how the division functions as a platform for joint development, turnkey projects and technology licensing and the exchange of capabilities. The interview offered more insights into who ECRI works with, how its projects operate in practice, and why Geely believes the model will matter to the auto industry as it pivots to electrification, software-defined vehicles and new mobility services.
ECRI is positioned as both a platform connecting Geely’s capabilities with international partner needs and a learning ground for Geely to absorb global best practice on regulation, quality and safety. It is part of Geely Auto’s R&D organisation and serves as an external collaboration platform for external OEMs, mobility operators and technology companies.
The institute’s stated mission is broad and end-to-end. Emphasising the latter, Ms Wang told AMS that ECRI has the capability to take responsibility for the complete vehicle development chain, from engineering and testing to manufacturing, purchasing and aftersales. That full-stack remit underpins one of ECRI’s principal commercial products; turnkey projects.
We can provide the full end-to–end vehicle development package. As well as development, engineering and production services we can also leverage our supply chain including purchasing, and support with after sales, service and maintenance
Turnkey solutions as a flexible proposition
These turnkey projects are integrated programmes in which ECRI supplies engineering, testing, manufacturing and supply-chain integration and this label is intentionally broad, representing a range of projects varying in scale and scope, with flexibility an important factor. It can encompass an entire vehicle development programme or a scoped subsystem package. When asked whether turnkey could mean smaller workstreams – such as a powertrain or an EV architecture Ms Wang confirmed: “We do have some focus areas, one example being electric architecture development. This includes our testing and validation resources.” The practical implication is that ECRI can deliver modular technology suites or full vehicle programmes, including software, hardware integration and validation.
However, Ms Wang was keen to emphasise that turnkey projects can be much more than single concept and engineering projects: “We can provide the full end-to–end vehicle development package. As well as development, engineering and production services we can also leverage our supply chain including purchasing, and support with after sales, service and maintenance.” That combination – engineering plus access to China’s supply chain and manufacturing capability – is central to the ECRI offering.
Scale, partners and pipeline
ECRI is already engaged in active project with external clients. Ms Wang noted the organisation works with a substantial partner base: “Right now it’s more than 12 clients” external to Geely’s internal brands. Adding that ECRI is handling “more than 108” current projects and expects to scale further. “By 2030… we should have double this number,” she predicted.
The client mix extends beyond legacy OEMs with the publicly announced collaboration between Waymo and Zeekr on a purpose-built battery-electric vehicle being noted. ECRI acknowledged that many collaborations currently remain under commercial embargo, but that the mix of traditional OEMs, mobility operators and startups demonstrates ECRI’s ambition to be a platform for a diverse set of partners.
Three key parts of ECRI’s offering
ECRI’s proposition rests on three connected capabilities: Engineering and technology, testing and validation, manufacturing and supply-chain resources.
On technology, Ms Wang highlighted areas where Chinese OEMs are advancing rapidly: “Electrification… E architecture… new energy, battery and the motors… and intelligent development such as ADAS.” ECRI positions itself as a platform that combines these capabilities with partners’ own strengths and adapts them to specific project and market requirements.
Testing and validation are equally important. Geely’s wider R&D investment, Ms Wang said, gives ECRI “the base to provide… the volume, the assimilation experience and the capabilities to share this value to our global partners.” Something noted during the visit was the scale of Geely’s R&D resource and capability, with approximately 18,000 engineers working at the huge facility with extensive powertrain, wind tunnel and safety testing resources.
Finally, the supply chain remains a core competitive advantage. Ms Wang was unequivocal: “In China we have very good supply chain systems… competitive costs and very good quality… also the speed and efficiency.” For partners seeking lower cost, faster ramp-up or access to specific suppliers, that ecosystem is a draw.
Interestingly Geely see’s the ECRI operations and opportunities as a two-way street, with Ms Wang framing the collaborations with other OEMs as an opportunity for mutual learning. Here, international partners can contribute high regulatory standards and experience with safety, cybersecurity and local market demands. That two-way transfer – Chinese tech and supply-chain speed in exchange for regulatory know-how and market insight – is central to ECRI’s strategic pitch.
“The resource is not all that matters. The key is efficiency… offering competitive costs and high-speed delivery is a very important point
How joint projects operate in practice
A frequent worry for potential partners is integration across different engineering cultures and processes. ECRI’s answer is structure: Defined responsibilities, milestones, joint reviews and a clear project leader.
Project leadership is a deliberate part of that model. That single-point accountability aims to mitigate the common pitfall of cross-company programmes – diffuse ownership. ECRI also relies on IT systems to manage geographically distributed supply chains and deliverables, with the IT layer presented as a key connective tool that ensures consistency across multi-country manufacturing footprints.
R&D strategy: capacity and efficiency
Geely’s large engineering base is an asset ECRI can harness. Ms Wang emphasised that long-term investment in testing facilities and technical accumulation are deliberate enablers. But headcount alone is not the pitch with Ms Wang rejecting a simplistic “more engineers = more capability” narrative: “The resource is not all that matters. The key is efficiency… offering competitive costs and high-speed delivery is a very important point.” The line between capacity and capability is therefore efficiency and integrated process.
ECRI itself is scaling up. It currently has approximately 800 employees with plans to grow to “around 2,000” by 2030. ECRI can also draw on resources across Geely’s wider R&D ecosystem, with approximately 6,000 people already involved in external collaboration projects. That layered model allows ECRI to present itself as both specialised and connected to a larger innovation engine.
The institute’s scope of client activity is global but selective. Europe has emerged as a particularly active region. The US and Japan are also areas of interest, but commercial confidentiality limited disclosure as to specific working partnerships.
Practical considerations for partners
For global OEMs evaluating ECRI, practical questions revolve around standards, IP and regulatory compliance. Ms Wang acknowledged the complexity: Working across different regulatory regimes and local policies is a real challenge. “It's tough because local policies are often different… So, we are learning much more from our partners,” she said. ECRI’s approach is to adapt processes and standards to meet local requirements and to incorporate partner feedback into development cycles.
With a strong industry trend towards technology and capacity sharing, ECRI would seem to be Geely’s institutional answer to a changing automotive landscape where electrification, software-defined vehicles, and mobility services require flexible, cross-border collaboration.
If executed as described – clear project ownership, robust IT coordination, and adherence to high regulatory standards – ECRI’s model could accelerate programme timelines for OEMs and tech companies seeking access to integrated engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Equally, it gives Geely a channel to incorporate global standards and partner insights into collaborative product development.
Collaboration key to successful partnerships
Ms Wang emphasised the reciprocal nature of the institute’s work: “We can combine the advantages from each other and make a full use of this in the product development…” The interview framed the growth story in practical terms: ECRI has seen steady increases in clients and revenues and expects continued expansion. “So, since the beginning… we’ve seen year on year increases of client numbers and revenues of around 30%” – an indicator of market traction.
For international OEMs and mobility companies weighing collaboration, ECRI offers an unusual combination: China’s technology momentum, industrial scale, and a packaged delivery model with single-point accountability. For Geely, ECRI is both a commercial initiative and a strategic learning mechanism. Whether the institute becomes a standard route for global OEMs to work with Geely’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities will depend on execution, trust and the ability to reconcile differing standards and IP expectations. But if ECRI can consistently deliver on its pledge of speed, efficiency and mutual value, it may reshape how vehicle programmes are run in an increasingly collaborative, cross‑border auto industry.
