Chinese car giant Geely auto Group opened its latest facility in Hangzhou Bay, Zhejiang, China. The new facility now holds the title of the world’s largest and most advanced automotive safety testing center. This massive operation is way more than just a place to wreck cars – it’s a commitment to a new way of thinking about vehicle safety, especially for the next generation of electric cars.
Geely invested over 2 billion yuan, or about $290 million, into the new center. The entire facility covers 45,000 square meters, but its real importance is in how it changes the definition of “safe.” Geely calls its new approach “Comprehensive Safety 2.0.”
This new framework moves past simply protecting people during a high-speed wreck. Instead, it targets “zero casualties, zero health hazards, zero property losses, and zero privacy leaks.” This goal means the center handles emerging challenges like vehicle cybersecurity, protecting driver data, and ensuring the air quality inside the car.
The scale of this testing facility is record-breaking – literally. Geely’s new center set five Guinness World Records. The main automotive safety laboratory spans nearly 82,000 square meters – more than ten football fields. Inside, engineers can test vehicles on the world’s longest indoor crash test track, which measures just over 961 ft.
The complex also features an enormous climate-controlled wind tunnel that covers 28,536 square meters. This tunnel can blast air at speeds up to 155 mph while simulating harsh weather like snow, rain, or intense solar radiation.
Responsible for Geely’s safety focus is its long-standing connection to Volvo. Back in 2002, Geely manufactured its very first car, and at the same time, the company’s founder, Li Shufu, set his sights on acquiring the storied Swedish brand from Ford. Three years later, when he tried to attend the Frankfurt motor Show, a German visa officer actually denied his initial application. Fast-forward another five years, and the relatively unknown Chinese company acquired Volvo in 2010.
To demonstrate the center’s raw power, Geely conducted a live crash test during the opening ceremony, smashing two Lynk & Co 900 vehicles together. The facility’s specialization goes deep, including labs dedicated to simulating advanced assisted driving, protection for pedestrians, and complex vehicle network security tests. The center offers the most diverse testing capabilities, covering 27 different types of evaluations. This includes its unique “Golden Nose” team, which is specifically tasked with sniffing out and testing for harmful substances, odors, and volatile materials.
Geely confirmed it will open the facility to the entire automotive industry, promoting collaboration with partners like CATARC and Tsinghua University to raise global standards. By doing so, Geely makes a clear statement that safety is a shared responsibility, providing an important benchmark for how all automakers should approach building safer and smarter EVs.
