Zhu ling "parachutes" into volvo, completely bridging the sino-european divide

In 2025, a time when the car market is exceptionally competitive, as Volvo uses the all-new XC70 as a focal point to lay out a new strategy for the Chinese market, any conservative impressions associated with this brand begin to show signs of shifting.

In recent years, as the luxury brand most committed to transformation, Volvo has made significant investments in electrification. In the global market, a series of pure electric new models such as the EX90, ES90, and EX30 have been launched one after another, undoubtedly providing an opportunity for the public to reassess the brand and prompting the entire traditional sector to consider "where exactly should the focus of industry transformation be placed?"

However, as European countries gradually relax the timetable for the complete electrification of the automotive industry, Volvo, located in Northern Europe, must understand that with the existence of companies like Tesla, which are at the crossroads between the past and the future in the automotive industry, it urgently needs to find a balance.

The presence or absence of this balance point will determine Volvo's way of operating in the future, and will further decide whether Volvo can maintain its original position in the global car market, rather than fluctuating unpredictably.

Persisting in a stubborn course of action will definitely lead to no future, but that doesn't mean that one should also retract their strategy just because they see their peers slowing down.

In April this year, Hakan Samuelsson returned to Volvo Car Group as President and Chief Executive Officer.

"How to lead Volvo Cars forward in a complex environment" has been a question he has been pondering since taking office. Now that the all-new XC70 is entering the pre-sale stage, I think, after this period of assessment, there should be some clues about Volvo's future trajectory.

At this moment, many people are saying that with Zhu Ling, who previously served as the Vice President of Zeekr Technology Group, being appointed as the COO (Chief Operating Officer) of the newly established position at Volvo China, Volvo is about to hand over its autonomy. The brand's subsequent new car development and market layout will be planned by its parent company, Geely Auto.

"Volvo is not pure anymore!"

"Without its Nordic soul, can Volvo still be called Volvo?"

At one point, these similar comments indeed left many consumers at a loss, even leading them to think that since the launch of the new XC70, Volvo is about to become a luxury brand that only caters to the Chinese market.

Given Volvo's current development status, focusing on China is an inevitable trend. However, based on Volvo's century-long development history, the essence of transformation has never been about changing its core identity. The enduring appeal of Volvo's brand spirit stems from its adherence to the character established at the company's inception, as well as its proactive global strategies that keep pace with the times.

Dr. Zhu Ling's arrival from Zeekr is driven by Volvo's mindset of considering China as its "second home," and it also signifies that, with a global perspective, Volvo is determined to leverage the advantages of China's emerging automotive industry to comprehensively promote the company's upward and forward development.

01Zhu Ling's arrival is timely.

"China is the largest automotive market in the world and also a highly electrified market. The competition is intense, with many new brands and companies. We hope to compete here and also gain some new inspiration."

Earlier, CEO Håkan Samuelsson clearly knew where the core of the current industry's competition lies and also put forward insights for the new era.

"Many years ago, when European and American car companies came to China, they played more of a teacher role, teaching Chinese car companies how to build cars and how to run car companies. Nowadays, times have changed, and European and American car companies come to China more to understand and learn, to maintain curiosity about what innovations Chinese car companies are making, and then take them back to their home markets."

From these words, we don't need to overinterpret to see which direction will be the starting point for Volvo's future path.

Like most traditional luxury car companies worldwide, purely from a financial standpoint, Volvo Cars is indeed facing severe challenges in the rapidly changing global automotive market. This is bound to drive the entire Volvo Cars company to actively engage in all explorations that can establish a first-mover advantage.

In China, traditional luxury car companies, including BBA, Cadillac, and Lexus, have all been eager to present their China solutions in the past two years, which is evident to all of us.

Cooperating with Chinese technology companies, jointly researching new energy-related technologies with independent automobile enterprises, or even relocating new energy factories to China, all of these projects, which were unprecedented in the past but have already been implemented, repeatedly demonstrate the path that "transformation" should take.

Is this not a clear enough lesson for Volvo? Especially during the critical transition period in 2025, when facing the most brutal market competition, what is there to hesitate about?

On the surface, Zhu Ling will join the regional management team and report directly to Yuan Xiaolin, the head of the Asia-Pacific region. In the new position, Zhu Ling will also lead the existing product team to further enhance product strategy, planning, portfolio, and project management capabilities.

As the head of the Product and Industrial Operations Performance Center, Zhu Ling will lead the full lifecycle management of future regional vehicle projects. This includes everything from product planning to product development and industrialization, while also promoting cross-departmental collaboration in areas such as product, engineering, procurement, logistics, and manufacturing to ensure projects are delivered on time, with high quality, and cost competitiveness.

At the same time, he will also focus on strengthening the synergy between regional operations and global product development, providing strong support for building Volvo Cars' long-term competitiveness.

With the ample experience accumulated over the past 17 years in the industry, Zhu Ling's task is to integrate the advantages of the Chinese market into Volvo's global perspective, thereby forming a long-term and stable multidimensional competitiveness within the system.

Over the past six months, Volvo's emphasis on China has been undeniable. Starting with the new models of XC90, XC60, and S90, and leading up to the introduction of the all-new generation XC70, Volvo has utilized nearly all available resources to rejuvenate its product line. The most profound significance of this effort is to keep pace with the changes in the Chinese market.

Volvo has always been famously "slow to warm up." With the unique Nordic pragmatism, it was impossible to update products to the maximum extent in the short term. So today, the reason why Volvo in 2025 seems so "unfamiliar" is precisely because the Chinese market has played a stimulating role and pushed Volvo to proactively reconsider its development plans, right?

Zhu Ling's "parachuting" is not about confining Volvo to the Chinese market and adhering to local principles, but rather acting as Volvo's "surprise soldier" to bring Volvo's transformation strategy back to the main line, allowing Volvo to return to center stage.

02Volvo and China are deeply connected.

Reviewing Volvo's market performance over the past few years and its latest moves in response to new trends, one thing is certain: in the face of the vibrant scene in China's new energy vehicle market, Volvo has always maintained a proactive attitude.

Due to the boundary limitations of the SPA2 platform, the EX90 has been delayed in coming to China, which is quite regrettable. However, on the other hand, with Volvo promptly introducing the EM90 to support the brand's electrification transition, and the EX30 attempting to penetrate the entry market with Volvo's unique refinement, it would be incorrect to say that Volvo is always in a state of market observation.

Entering 2025, the sense of urgency surrounding Volvo has not diminished in the slightest, and it is being conveyed outward that the importance of China to Volvo is not decreasing but rather increasing.

This is precisely why Volvo knows exactly what it lacks.

Yes, Zhu Ling's joining was not an internal transfer within the group. Volvo Cars has always operated independently as a luxury brand within the Geely Group, and its strategic position has not changed, which seems to clarify Volvo's stance.

That being said, appointing Zhu Ling as COO truly demonstrates Volvo Cars' commitment to regionalization. With a focus on China, Volvo constantly looks forward to further accelerating execution and enhancing the local responsiveness of the regional market, all while fully aligning with the global strategic direction.

Over the years, what kind of experience has Zhu Ling accumulated? Regardless of his educational background or how long he has been in the industry, just from his years at Zeekr, it is evident that the abilities Zhu Ling possesses are exactly what Volvo needs.

In the framework of vehicle architecture, Zhu Ling's deep involvement in the development and implementation of the SEA and SPA Evo architectures indicates that Zhu Ling has acquired significant expertise in new energy architecture design, project advancement, and resource integration.

The newly launched XC70, born from the SMA super hybrid architecture, has received positive orders and terminal feedback during its pre-sale, which serves as a reminder to Volvo that this development approach, based on the operational logic of the Chinese new energy market, is not only correct but also has strong sustainability and foresight.

Therefore, returning to the appointment of Zhu Ling joining Volvo, it is evident that when Zhu Ling brings his full set of research and development experience in China's new energy technology platform to Volvo, the sparks that will fly are bound to elevate Volvo's future industrial competitiveness to a new height.

After a century of development, Volvo is absolutely confident in "how to make a good car" or "how to make a car well." Based on this, combined with Zhu Ling's comprehensive review of its existing advantages in the Chinese market and efforts to fill in the gaps, we can always arrive at a consistently positive outlook for Volvo's future.

After the launch of the all-new XC70, Volvo will undoubtedly introduce more stylish new cars across various market segments. However, it is foreseeable that from establishing the Asia-Pacific R&D center and battery laboratory in Shanghai early on, to bringing in Zhu Ling, regardless of size, unlike products with strong Nordic flavors like the EX90 and ES90, Volvo's new wave of product offensives will always be filled with an Oriental touch.

Of course, more importantly, the comprehensive counterattack by the traditional luxury camp still needs some time. The new BMW iX3 is still somewhat veiled, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA has yet to enter niche markets, and the outcome of the transformation debut led by SAIC Audi E5 is unknown, all of which give Volvo ample preparation time.

In a recent external communication, Xiaolin Yuan, Senior Vice President of Volvo Car Group, President and CEO of Volvo Cars Asia Pacific, reiterated, "Globally, Volvo has always chosen the best industry solutions and made choices that align with corporate values."

Regardless of when the industry turmoil ends, Zhu Ling's joining this time is ultimately a true reflection of Volvo's commitment to China, thereby using its transformation to give back to the world.