“You can’t suddenly create heritage overnight”: Why Volvo doesn’t fear the Chinese newcomers

April 11, 2025April 11, 2025 Andrew Chesterton 1502 Views 0 Comments geely, volvo, Zeekr

Volvo says it won’t look to compete with the Chinese newcomer brands — including those that are part of its same global company — suggesting Australian customers will still want “the tried and trusted”.

Speaking at the launch of the all-electric EX90, Volvo Cars Australia MD Stephen Connor told EV Central that he views Geely, Zeekr, Polestar and the still incoming Lynk & Co the same as any other competitor brand, despite all being sub-brands of the giant Geely Auto Group.

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“We don’t follow the competitors. As soon as you follow them, you end up fighting in a price war and a spec war. We get along and do our own thing,” he says.

“So it doesn’t matter whether it’s Zeekr, whether it’s Geely, they’re still a competitor to us because of our structure. And they will remain a competitor.

“But I don’t spend any time worrying about what they do. We spend all of our time worrying about what we do. Because otherwise, like I said, if you start chasing them, it’s a downward spiral.”

The executive was delicate in avoiding calling out Geely brands specifically, but did suggest that Volvo could offer something that no Chinese newcomer could match – “heritage”.

“I am really impressed by all of them coming through. The product coming through is amazing,” he says.

“The only thing I would say, and this isn’t about Geely, it’s about the other brands. You can’t suddenly create a heritage overnight, right?

“So whatever people say, we’ve got 97 years worth of heritage in this company. We’ve been making cars that look beautiful and drive beautifully. That doesn’t come overnight.

“So people won’t migrate to them overnight. People will still want the tried and trusted. And we will remain in that basket. So we won’t try and compete with them.”

Andrew Chesterton

Andrew began his career as a journalist at Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, before he was lured into the fast-paced world of supercars at TopGear Australia. He has also held senior roles at The Daily Mail, which involved spending time at HQ in London, and on the other side of the automotive divide with FCA Australia. As one of Australia's best-read freelance writers, Andrew now contributes to Robb Report, Wish in The Australian, Domain in The Australian Financial Review, CarsGuide, Wheels, The West Australian, GQ, Men's Health and more. His love for writing has carried him around the world and back again, writing for clients in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the USA. He secretly enjoys it so much he’d probably do it for free, but he hopes his editors never find out that bit...