It is coming up to a year since the Geely brand was launched in the UK. I ask Alan how fleet business has been so far.

Barrett said: “It has been very successful so far, if you look at the Geely Auto UK business, it started with five employees, and now we're up to 85 and it’s still expanding.

“From a fleet team perspective, at the beginning of this year we had two people reporting into the Sales Director, covering every fleet channel. In the early days, these two guys were out in the market trying to find new business, and it was quite tough. We only had one leasing company able to quote our product. Despite that, the two guys managed to gain partnerships with some industry-leading companies offering business solutions, such as Octopus and Tusker.

“Now we are pretty much quotable with all the FN50, so we're in a really good place. From about mid-year, when I started, the team increased to five, and that will continue to expand as opportunities and volume grows.

“Since expanding the team, the strategy is to have dedicated managers across the main channels, including contract hire and leasing, rental, corporate, brokers, salary sacrifice and key accounts. We’ve made sure all the major channels are covered, with the new team the main point of contact for fleet customers.

“Later in H2, we hit a milestone with acceptance onto some major corporate fleets. Centrica, DHL and Royal Mail have accepted Geely onto their fleets, so we've passed all the tests and ticked all the boxes. That’s going to open doors with other corporates.”

I move on to product, with Geely already established in EVs and plug-in hybrids with the EX5, Starray and EX2. Where does Alan see the fleet opportunity?

Barrett said: “I don't really see a limit to the opportunity, because we're getting demand from all channels currently, including the EX2. Whether it's public sector, private sector, sole traders, SMEs or corporates, we’re seeing demand across a whole spectrum.

“I think user-choosers will see a really compelling pricing and spec proposition. For the driver choosing their vehicle, I think it will be quite difficult to compete with. It's also a strong TCO proposition for fleet managers. When you consider the eight-year, 125,000-mile warranty, four years of roadside assistance and the technical support from Geely UK, from an SMR and peace-of-mind perspective, it's really compelling.

“We've also had demand for exclusive supply of the EX2, particularly from leasing channels, as well as rental. It’s a case of managing the supply and demand equation. I think public sector will also be a strong area of growth for us.

“We're awaiting CCS approval, but we've already had strong demand and a good sales rate with the NHS, through NHS brokers. So, I think the opportunity is pretty huge with just the three products we've got at the moment.

“We'll also have a D-SUV PHEV, which will open up more opportunities. Then, in H2 of next year, we'll also have a C-SUV with multiple drivetrains – EV, FEV and hybrid. As the product range expands, it will be about finding more opportunities.”

We move on to Alan’s expanded fleet team, and whether it will handle the bigger deals, with smaller deals handled at dealer level.

Barrett said: “A bit of both. We work really closely with our network. We have some really big, established fleet operators in our network, and they know the requirements of business users.

“We'll pass smaller leads to our network, and they are empowered to transact at SME level. When they find a larger opportunity where direct terms with the OEM are required, they'll come to us. So it works both ways.

“Generally, we're dealing direct with leasecos, brokers, and rental companies. But it is a mixture of both those things, I would say.

“Everything goes via dealers at the moment, so we don't have any direct supply. Rental will probably be the only channel where we eventually go direct, delivering vehicles to rental locations and airports. At the moment, everything goes via our dealer networks, so they are a critical part of the infrastructure we have in place for business customers.”

After mentioning direct supply and rental, I ask Alan if Geely UK are doing much short-cycle business, and is this part of his strategy?

Barrett said: “We've done very little so far. We've only put around 500 units into rental, but as we move into 2027, we will launch rental with buyback. It’s particularly important from a buyback perspective for RV management, used-car supply and network profitability.

“It needs to be part of a new and used car ecosystem, so any rental business needs to be thoroughly planned to protect the brand and residual values.

“From an internal perspective, we've only registered around 100 units, so short-cycle business has been pretty minimal. I see rental as a critical channel that we need to be in, and one that will help drive our control of used vehicles.

“Geely UK will also have a used-car team starting this month, with the buyback strategy in place by the end of the year.”

Finally, I ask Alan about Geely’s fleet and corporate plans for the remainder of this year and beyond.

Barrett said: “In terms of this year, we will have achieved around 8,000 sales, with a good mix of channels. H2 is where we're expecting a big ramp-up. We'll continue to develop corporate, as we get closer to the leasecos – all of them are pretty much onboarded now.

“We have the new models, the D-SUV and B-SUV, coming. I expect the fleet team will expand, SME will expand, and public sector will continue to grow.

“The key thing is doing it in a controlled way, not looking at volume from a vanity perspective, making sure we're doing it in the right channels and protecting residual values. So it's all about a new and used-car ecosystem and making sure we're geared up to do that properly.”