In a groundbreaking collaboration, NaaS Technology (NASDAQ: NAAS), a pioneering EV charging service provider, has joined forces with Geely Holding Group Automobile Sales Co., Ltd. (Geely Auto), aiming to revolutionize the accessibility of charging services for millions of electric vehicle (EV) owners.
The partnership, unveiled recently, marks a strategic alliance between NaaS Technology, the first US-listed EV charging service company in China, and Geely Auto, a prominent player in the automotive industry. Through this collaboration, the two entities will enhance connectivity among charging facilities, station data, payment services, and plug-and-charge technology, ultimately facilitating Geely Auto in expanding its charging service network and streamlining the charging process for Geely EV owners.
Under the agreement, NaaS Technology, along with its strategic partner Kuaidian, will provide Geely EV owners seamless access to an extensive network of charging stations across the country. This initiative covers EV models from Geely’s Yinhe and Lynk brands, among others. Through user-friendly features such as “one-click pile searching,” “one-click charging,” and “one-click payment” available on the Geely Auto app, mini-program, and Kuaidian app, EV owners can experience enhanced efficiency and convenience in charging their vehicles. Notably, NaaS Technology has previously collaborated with ZEEKR, a luxury intelligent BEV brand under Geely Auto, to offer accessible charging services to millions of car owners.
Wu Chao, head of Charging BU at Geely Auto, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Green and sustainable development of transport has become a consensus in the international community. Teaming up with NaaS, we plan to optimize charging service experience and strengthen cooperation in charging service industry chain. By improving energy supply network and innovating charging service, we take aim at satisfying flexible and diversified charging demands of car owners and impressing Geely EV owners by easy and worry-free green mobility experience, thus boosting high-quality development of EV industry.”
Liang Xing, Vice President of NaaS Technology, echoed these sentiments, commenting, “Charging service experience has a bearing on the quality of development of the EV industry. By leveraging developed charging solutions as well as extensive resources and experience built up on charging service market, NaaS vows to help more automakers like Geely to make EV charging more accessible, and jointly bring EV charging service to a new level.”
Geely Auto has been at the forefront of new energy and intelligent transformation, with a strategic focus on hybrid, battery electric vehicle (BEV), battery swapping, methanol, and other technological pathways. The company’s comprehensive range of EV models across various market segments underscores its leadership in the EV market. Notably, Geely Auto’s sales data for January 2024 revealed a remarkable year-on-year increase of 110% in overall sales and a staggering 591% surge in EV sales, reaching 213,000 and 65,800 units, respectively. In 2023, Geely made significant strides in accelerating new energy transformation, witnessing an 18% increase in overall sales and a 48% rise in EV sales, totaling 1.68 million and 487,000 units, respectively.
Against the backdrop of China’s commitment to promoting intelligent grid infrastructure and accelerating the establishment of charging infrastructure networks to support EV development, NaaS Technology’s collaboration with Geely Auto assumes greater significance. As of September 30, 2023, NaaS Technology had connected over 767,000 chargers across 73,000 charging stations. In the third quarter of 2023 alone, NaaS Technology recorded a remarkable 66% year-on-year increase in charging volume, amounting to 1.383 billion kWh, representing 21.8% of the public charging volume in China.
