Brazilian production of the Geely EX5 EM-i began on September 15, 2026 at the Ayrton Senna Industrial Complex in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná. The milestone is not simply the assembly of another plug-in hybrid SUV. According to Geely, this is the first Geely product manufactured in the Americas and the result of an industrial transformation that began in early 2026 to introduce the GEA architecture at the complex. The change connects technology developed by Geely with Renault do Brasil's manufacturing and commercial structure, under a partnership formalized at the end of 2025.
What began on September 15, 2026
Geely Brasil confirmed on September 15 that local manufacturing of the EX5 EM-i had started. The announcement describes the model as the first Geely product made in the Americas and says the plant was modernized to accommodate GEA, short for Global Intelligent Electric Architecture.
The most important point for readers is to separate two different milestones: production and commercialization. Domestic manufacturing has already started. In the same announcement, the company says the commercial launch is expected by the end of 2026. In 2025, when it presented the model at the São Paulo International Motor Show, Geely had already said the EX5 EM-i would first arrive as an import and later move to local production. This describes a transition from imports to localization, not the product's absolute debut in Brazil.
What changed at the factory to accommodate the GEA architecture
The Ayrton Senna Industrial Complex underwent a broad transformation in early 2026. The officially confirmed change was the modernization required for industrial implementation of Geely's GEA architecture. After this upgrade, the company says the complex can work with different propulsion technologies, including internal combustion engines, hybrids and fully electric vehicles.
This is the main industrial difference before and after the Geely project: an existing Renault do Brasil manufacturing base began incorporating a Geely electrified-vehicle architecture and receiving Geely-branded models. The partnership avoids the need to build an entirely new factory to begin local production and uses installed industrial capacity in São José dos Pinhais.
| Confirmed change | What it means in practice | What has not yet been detailed |
|---|---|---|
| Modernization of the complex in early 2026 | Industrial preparation to implement GEA and manufacture Geely models in Brazil | Complete list of new machinery, modified production cells and the portion of investment allocated specifically to this modernization |
| Declared multi-powertrain capability | The complex can combine production of combustion, hybrid and fully electric vehicles | Annual capacity by powertrain and the exact volume split by production line |
| Entry of Geely models into local manufacturing | The EX5 EM-i inaugurates Geely brand production on the continent, while the EX2 is planned as the second locally made model | Local content ratio for each model, localized suppliers and volume targets |
Why the EX5 EM-i is the first Geely produced in the Americas
The wording used by the company is precise: the EX5 EM-i is the first Geely product manufactured in the Americas. Here, Geely refers to the Geely brand and Geely Auto operation, not to the full portfolio of companies and brands linked to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. That distinction matters because the holding company has a much broader global portfolio and operating footprint.
For the Geely brand, the significance is clear. Brazil is no longer only a market supplied by imports and becomes part of a localized manufacturing network. The partnership announced on November 3, 2025 gave Geely access to Renault do Brasil's industrial and commercial resources while Renault remained the majority shareholder. Geely acquired a 26.4% stake in Renault do Brasil.
Localization was built in stages
- November 3, 2025: Renault Group and Geely complete the definitive agreements. Geely takes a 26.4% stake in Renault do Brasil and gains access to the Ayrton Senna Industrial Complex and the Brazilian operation's commercial resources.
- November 18, 2025: Renault Geely do Brasil announces a R$3.8 billion investment cycle. One stated destination is production of the GEA platform, with two models planned for the second half of 2026.
- November 18, 2025: at the São Paulo International Motor Show, Geely presents the EX5 EM-i as the first vehicle of the brand to be produced in Brazil and explains the strategy of initial imports followed by local manufacturing.
- Early 2026: the Ayrton Senna Industrial Complex undergoes the industrial transformation required to implement GEA.
- June 2, 2026: the company confirms the Geely EX2 as the second model of the brand to be produced in Brazil. For the EX2, the company specifies production at the Curitiba Veículos Utilitários unit, known as CVU.
- September 15, 2026: Brazilian production of the EX5 EM-i begins.
- December 2026: the latest announcement schedules the start of EX2 production.
How the China and Brazil strategy works in practice
The arrangement combines assets each group already had. Geely brings the GEA architecture, electrified products and its international expansion strategy. Renault do Brasil contributes installed manufacturing capacity, industrial experience, a commercial network and local services. In the 2025 agreement, Renault also said it could use GEA to expand its own range of zero and low-emission vehicles for the Brazilian market.
This makes localization broader than simply changing the vehicle's country of origin. The factory becomes a point of integration between Chinese product technology and Brazilian manufacturing capacity. The R$3.8 billion investment announced in November 2025 includes not only the Geely platform but also Renault projects, showing that the modernization of the complex is part of a shared industrial cycle.
For Geely, local manufacturing shortens the distance between global strategy and Brazilian operations. For Renault, the agreement expands use of the complex and adds an electrified-vehicle architecture to its industrial portfolio. For the Brazilian market, the most concrete signal is that two Geely models entered the local production schedule less than a year after the equity partnership was completed.
What still needs to be monitored
As of September 17, 2026, official announcements confirm the start of production, the GEA modernization, the broad investment in the complex and the EX2 schedule. Some relevant points have not yet been detailed publicly:
- planned annual production volume for the locally made EX5 EM-i;
- the percentage of parts and components sourced in Brazil;
- the list of localized suppliers and the origin of high-value components such as the battery and electrified systems;
- possible export plans from Brazil to other markets in the Americas;
- the specific plant or production line used by the EX5 EM-i within the complex, since the EX2 announcement identifies CVU while the EX5 EM-i announcement refers to the complex in general;
- how the commercial transition between imported and locally produced units will work.
What changes in how Geely's presence in Brazil should be understood
The start of EX5 EM-i production turns a commercial and equity partnership into a concrete industrial operation. The central factory change was the adaptation of the Ayrton Senna Industrial Complex to industrialize GEA and handle different propulsion technologies. By describing the EX5 EM-i as the first Geely product manufactured in the Americas, the company signals a new role for Brazil in the brand's strategy: it is not only a consumer market, but also a localized manufacturing base.
Official sources
- Geely Brasil: start of Geely EX5 EM-i production in Brazil, September 15, 2026
- Renault Group: completion of the partnership with Geely in Brazil, November 3, 2025
- Geely Brasil: R$3.8 billion investment in the Ayrton Senna Industrial Complex, November 18, 2025
- Geely Brasil: EX5 EM-i presentation and local production plan, November 18, 2025
- Geely Brasil: confirmation of EX2 production, June 2, 2026
