Geely, Renault to Develop Gasoline Engines, Hybrid Tech

FILE PHOTO: The Geely logo is seen at a car dealership in Shanghai, China August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Geely logo is seen at a car dealership in Shanghai, China August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
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Geely, Renault to Develop Gasoline Engines, Hybrid Tech

FILE PHOTO: The Geely logo is seen at a car dealership in Shanghai, China August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Geely logo is seen at a car dealership in Shanghai, China August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

China's Geely Automobile Holdings and French car maker Renault SA on Tuesday said they will invest up to 7 billion euros ($7.71 billion) in a new equally held joint venture to develop gasoline engines and hybrid technology for automobiles.
The JV is aimed at manufacturing more efficient internal combustion engines and hybrid systems at a time when the focus of much of the automobile industry has been on the capital-intensive transition to purely electric vehicles.
"We are pleased to be embarking on this journey to become a global leader in hybrid technologies, providing low-emission solutions for automakers around the world," said Eric Li, Geely Holding Group chairman.
The new company will employ 19,000 people at 17 engine plants and five research and development hubs, Renault said.
At launch, it is expected to supply to multiple industrial customers including Volvo, Proton, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, and PUNCH Torino, Reuters reported.
The JV aims to have an annual production capacity of up to five million internal combustion, hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines and transmissions, Renault added.
Reuters reported in March that the new venture will see 15 billion euros ($16.53 billion) in annual revenue.



Chinese Tech Giant Huawei Says Profits Fell 28% Last Year

(FILES) A Huawei logo is seen at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai on June 26, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
(FILES) A Huawei logo is seen at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai on June 26, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
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Chinese Tech Giant Huawei Says Profits Fell 28% Last Year

(FILES) A Huawei logo is seen at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai on June 26, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
(FILES) A Huawei logo is seen at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai on June 26, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT

Chinese smartphone maker giant Huawei said Monday that profits fell 28 percent last year as it faced international economic uncertainty and weak consumption at home.

The Shenzhen-based company has been at the center of an intense standoff between China and the United States after Washington warned its equipment could be used for espionage by the Chinese government, an allegation Huawei denies.

Sanctions since 2019 have cut the firm's access to US-made components and technologies, forcing it to diversify its growth strategy.

The company announced Monday that it made a net profit of 62.6 billion yuan ($8.6 billion) last year, down from 87 billion yuan in 2023.

Revenue rose 22 percent on-year -- marking a third successive increase after a sharp drop in 2021 during the pandemic.

Its 862.1 billion yuan in revenue was the highest since the figure surpassed 890 billion yuan in 2020.

The results were "in line with forecast", the company's rotating chairwoman Sabrina Meng said in a statement, according to AFP.

Employees "banded together to tackle a wide range of external challenges", Meng said, adding that the firm was "firmly committed to its quality goals and will keep honing quality as a competitive edge".

US sanctions have since 2019 cut Huawei off from global supply chains for technology and US-made components, a move that initially hammered its production of smartphones.

Last year, the company unveiled its first smartphone equipped with a fully homegrown operating system, a test of its ability to challenge the dominance of Western juggernauts.

It also released the world's first triple-folding phone, launched hours after its US rival Apple lifted the curtain on its newest iPhone.

Apple remains popular among Chinese consumers but has ceded ground to domestic players such as Huawei in recent years.

Huawei remains one of the world's leading equipment manufacturers for 5G, the fifth generation of mobile internet, and has been involved in infrastructure projects in numerous countries.