Geely's Geespace Cleared for Commercial Satellite IoT Trial in China

Geely's satellite communications subsidiary Geespace has been granted approval by Chinese regulators to conduct a commercial satellite Internet of Things (IoT) trial, the company confirmed.

The move marks a significant step for the automaker-backed space venture, which has been steadily expanding its GeeSAT constellation into low-Earth orbit. The approval paves the way for Geespace to begin testing real-world commercial IoT services using its in-orbit assets.

Geespace currently operates 64 GeeSAT satellites, which together provide global coverage across non-polar regions. The constellation handles approximately 340 million communication requests on a daily basis, according to company data.

Geely has long viewed satellite connectivity as a strategic differentiator for its vehicle lineup. The company has previously integrated satellite communication capabilities into models such as the Zeekr 001, positioning itself among automakers exploring direct-to-vehicle connectivity outside of terrestrial cellular networks.

The commercial IoT trial is expected to focus on use cases beyond the automotive sector, potentially including maritime tracking, agriculture, logistics and other industries that rely on remote or off-grid data transmission.