The Australian market is already teeming with Chinese car brands, but another one is set to enter the market – or rather, re-enter it.
The Geely E5 electric SUV, known in China as the Galaxy E5, has been spied on Victorian roads by a user on r/CarsAustralia on Reddit.
It’s uncamouflaged apart from the badges and is wearing trader plates. It also appears to be a right-hand drive model.
The E5 could be one of the brand’s first models when it relaunches in Australia.
It’s unclear how much it will cost should it launch here, but it has already been priced and detailed in China. Prices there range from 112,800 to 148,800 yuan (~A$24,300-$32,000), though introductory offers slash a few thousand off the bottom line.
Geely has confirmed the E5 has been designed and engineered in both left- and right-hand drive. It rides on the Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture, and features MacPherson strut front and multi-link independent rear suspension.
The E5 measures 4615mm long, 1901mm wide and 1670mm tall on a 2750mm wheelbase. That puts it roughly between a BYD Atto 3 and a Tesla Model Y in size.
It’s powered by a 160kW/320Nm electric motor and has a 0-100km/h time of 6.9 seconds.
There’s a choice of 49.52kWh and 60.22kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, with range of between 440km and 530km on the CLTC cycle.
In China, the E5 is available with power-adjustable, heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, a power tailgate, and a 16-speaker sound system.
There are also what Geely calls Marshmallow Series Chairs with “5+1 cushions” with “an extra layer of zero-sense relief”, according to the translated official site, as well as 33 separate storage spaces including sliding drawers under the rear seat.
The suite of available active safety technology includes Intelligent Cruise Assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic sign recognition.
Geely confirmed earlier this month the E5 is “set to be presented soon globally” as the company continues to expand its presence internationally.
Though it already sells vehicles here through the Lotus, Polestar and Volvo brands – and is bringing its Zeekr marque here this year – Geely is set to bring its namesake brand here.
The Geely brand’s Australian return was first indicated in May with a job posting on LinkedIn for a national marketing director who will be responsible for “the brand strategy of Geely” and “new Geely brand building”.
The Chinese giant already has a presence here through Lotus, Polestar and Volvo, which it owns. It also has its Zeekr electric vehicle (EV) brand coming in the second half of 2024, and has previously confirmed Lynk & Co for 2025.
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group has also recently filed trademarks pointing to the launch of the Geely Auto brand.
It filed to trademark the Geely name on January 19, 2024, as well as what appears to be a version of its six-segment logo on October 14, 2023.
It’s unclear which vehicles Geely will offer here.
As is typical of a major Chinese brand, there’s a sprawling range of vehicles under the Geely Auto banner in China plus a couple of sub-brands.
Riddara RD6
Geometry is a sub-brand established in 2019 for affordable EVs, while Galaxy was established last year for more premium models like the large E8 electric sedan.
While it’s marketed as a separate brand like Zeekr and not a sub-brand, Radar Auto also sits under the Geely Holding umbrella.
Its first vehicle, the electric RD6 ute, has already been confirmed for right-hand drive, while the Riddara nameplate has been trademarked locally. It’s unclear whether this would be sold under the Geely Auto brand here.
The Geely Auto brand includes everything from an electric micro car, the Panda Mini, all the way up to the Kia Sorento-sized Haoyue three-row SUV, known as the Okavango outside of China.
Some of these vehicles are already produced in right-hand drive. The Okavango, for example, is produced in right-hand drive in Malaysia, where it’s sold as the Proton X90.
Many Geely vehicles, including the Okavango, the Xingyue (aka Tugella), and the Xingyue L (aka Monjaro), use the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) underpinnings of the Volvo XC40 and Polestar 2.
Geely has previously confirmed it plans to develop more right-hand drive models as it looks to expand its global footprint.
“2024 marks a year where Geely intensifies its market presence, from steadfast ventures in core markets to new frontiers like Latin America, Central Asia, ASEAN, and Pan-Europe,” it said in a release earlier this year.
The Geely brand has had a presence in Australia before.
2011-14 Geely MK
In 2009, Western Australian car dealer John Hughes announced plans to bring the Geely MK sedan and hatch to Australia.
These ended up being sold exclusively in Western Australia. Hamstringing the brand’s growth was the absence of electronic stability control in the MK, which was mandated shortly after its launch.
The MK was also swept up in an asbestos recall that also affected Great Wall and Chery. While the MK’s base price was slashed to a market-leading $8999 drive-away, it couldn’t save the brand here.
