- Baidu will take a majority stake and absolute voting power in the new company
- Companies are in talks to use Geely’s EV-focused platform, Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), for future product development
As per a report by Reuters, China’s Baidu Inc plans to form a company to make smart electric vehicles (EV), two sources familiar with the matter said. They added that manuafacturing is to be carried out at plants owned by automaker Geely. Baidu will take a majority stake and absolute voting power in the new company added the report.
The report added that the sources told Reuters that the venture will revamp some of Geely’s existing car manufacturing facilities to make the vehicles, with in-car software input from Baidu and engineering know-how from Geely
Use Geely’s EV-focused platform, Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA)
As per the report, one of the sources, who declined to be identified as the plan was private, said that the companies are in talks to use Geely’s EV-focused platform, Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), for future product development. The report added that Reuters had previously reported last month that Baidu was contemplating making its own EVs and had held talks with Geely, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd (GAC) and China FAW Group Corp Ltd’s Hongqi on a possible venture
The report added that Alibaba has formed an EV joint venture with China’s SAIC Motor Corp and China’s Didi Chuxing is making EVs designed for ride hailing services with BYD. Geely is expanding EV production.