On March 5, reports surfaced indicating that in late January of this year, executives from Mercedes-Benz made frequent visits to Geely's Research and Development (R&D) center in Hangzhou Bay. According to multiple industry insiders, the two automotive giants have been engaged in cooperation negotiations centered around the electronic and electrical architecture for complete vehicles. In early February, Geely's management team, accompanied by interpreters, traveled to Jinqiao, Shanghai, to further define and clarify the scope and direction of their collaboration with Mercedes-Benz.

At present, both parties have arrived at a consensus: Mercedes-Benz will embark on the development of a cutting-edge electric vehicle platform, underpinned by Geely's GEEA4.0 electronic and electrical architecture. Sources with direct business connections to Mercedes-Benz revealed that the company has already initiated a new platform project, codenamed "Phoenix." This innovative platform is poised to support global entry-level electric vehicle models while seamlessly integrating Geely's GEEA4.0 architecture, marking a significant stride in their collaborative efforts.