In the blink of an eye, it’s already Laba Festival. As the Chinese often say, “After Laba, it’s the New Year.” Starting from Laba Festival, the land of China officially enters “Spring Festival time.” As the festive atmosphere grows stronger, it’s also the time for many to reunite with family. The Spring Festival travel rush, this annual, precisely timed mass migration, embodies the Chinese people’s longing for home and family, and is filled with the hope of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new.
As the 2019 Spring Festival travel rush kicks off, Geely Auto joins hands with China’s high-speed rail to launch the “Geely Auto-branded Special Train,” bringing the festive spirit of the “Geely China Year” to the “Fuxing” bullet trains. At the same time, Geely Auto, in collaboration with the well-known online live streaming platform “Douyu,” will host engaging interactive live streaming activities on the “Fuxing” trains during the Spring Festival, adding warmth and fun to everyone’s reunion journey.
Striving forward makes the journey less arduous
In 2018, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up. Over these four decades, the Spring Festival travel memories of the Chinese people have undergone tremendous changes. Forty years ago, China’s railways operated “green-skin trains” with an average speed of just over 40 kilometers per hour. Private cars, expressways, and high-speed railways were concepts unheard of by the vast majority. During the Spring Festival, getting a train ticket home was extremely difficult—people queued overnight in station squares, and the journey home was crowded and grueling. Reunion was a luxury for the Chinese back then.
Forty years have brought earth-shaking changes. By 2019, China has built the world’s largest high-speed railway network and the largest expressway network. Since the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway began operation in 2008, in just ten short years, high-speed rail tracks have exceeded 29,000 kilometers, accounting for two-thirds of the world’s total. Expressway mileage has surpassed 130,000 kilometers, and there are more than 30 vehicles for every 100 households. Cars have long entered ordinary households, evolving from luxury items to daily necessities.
Geely Auto has been solidly cultivating the automotive industry for 22 years. From cars that ordinary people could afford, to good cars that ordinary people could afford, and then to premium models introduced in the brand’s 3.0 era, Geely Auto has grown alongside China’s auto industry. In 2018, Geely Auto’s annual sales volume exceeded 1.5 million units for the first time, claiming the top spot among domestic brand car sales and leading the entire industry.
“Made-in-China Intelligence” shines brightly
While building the world’s premier modern transportation network, China is also continuously enhancing the technological content of travel, allowing “Made-in-China Intelligence” to thrive in the transportation field. China has not only built the world’s largest high-speed rail network but also manufactured a series of high-speed trains with independent intellectual property rights. From the “Harmony” trains to the “Fuxing” trains, high-speed rail technology has rapidly evolved in just a few years.
During the 2019 Spring Festival travel rush, the operating range of “Fuxing” bullet trains has expanded further. The introduction of ultra-long formation “Fuxing” trains, as well as new members at 160 km/h and 250 km/h speeds, has made advanced technology accessible to more passengers. Meanwhile, continued R&D of new technologies will further enhance the intelligent operation level of the high-speed rail network. While constantly breaking speed records, China’s high-speed rail will operate more intelligently and efficiently.
While leading in sales, Geely Auto never forgets to strengthen its core capabilities and actively transforms into a technology-driven mobility company. In core technology areas such as new energy vehicles and autonomous driving, Geely Auto continues to push boundaries and explore the unknown. The Intelligent Drive new energy power system and L2-level autonomous driving technology have been successfully mass-produced. These new technologies, with full independent intellectual property rights, offer more people the chance to enjoy smart, green car travel at affordable prices. In the era of intelligent new energy vehicles, Geely Auto is expanding into global markets, honing itself in fierce competition, and showcasing a smarter, greener “China solution” for sustainable mobility.
Refreshing China’s speed
Technology leads, connecting the world
Whether it’s advanced high-speed rail or increasingly widespread car ownership, travel for the Chinese has long since shed its image of hardship. Across the vast land of China, the distances between people, and between us and our hometowns, haven’t changed—but the progress of the times and advancements in technology have brought us closer together, making travel more comfortable.
Leading with technology to support transportation and make life on the move more exciting is the shared, unwavering goal of Geely Auto and China’s railways. The rapid development of technology and the great rejuvenation of the nation have given us a historic opportunity to turn ideals into reality. We are fortunate to be living in this era, bursting with creative passion, building a smart mobility ecosystem for the future, and bringing the wisdom of advanced technology to every corner of the nation and the world, benefiting more users.