Last month, we reported the sighting of a Geely E5 electric SUV spotted in Melbourne while undergoing testing.
Now, the brand under Geely Auto Group (Geely Auto), has announced that it will be entering the Australian market in the first half of 2025. This would be with the EX5 model (previously rumoured to be the E5) which debuted at the recent Automechanika Frankfurt show.
According to the brand, the EX5 will enter the Australian market thanks to its local arm, Geely Auto Australia, which will bring a ādiverse range of high-quality, accessible vehiclesā for Australian drivers.
The company further elaborated that vehicles like the Geely EX5 will deliver ācutting-edge technology and innovative featuresā that are tailored to Australian driversā āneeds and expectations.ā
Some of these technologies seen in the EX5 will include:
- GEA Global Intelligent Electric Architecture
- Provides optimal interior space
- High structural integrity
- Short Blade Battery Technology
- Providing safety and durability
- Efficient 11-in-1 intelligent electric drive unit that powers the vehicle
āToday is not only the global debut of the EX5 but also a testament to Geely’s commitment to expanding into markets worldwide, including Australia, Norway, Thailand, and Indonesia,” Victor Yang, senior vice president of Geely Holding Group said in a a statement.
Geely Auto is owned by Geely Holdings, which has stakes in multiple brands such as Volvo cars, Polestar, Zeekr, and Lotus and has been rapidly rolling out EVs under its own brand into many markets around the world.
With Geelyās global expansion plans well underway, the EX5 is the first car the company has designed with 89 countriesā regulatory requirements in mind.
This also includes Australia and recent testing on local roads gave a glimpse of what’s to come after shots of a silver mid-sized SUV came to the surface.
Geely e5 spotto In Melbourne with trade plates. Guess itās coming soon! š¬
Credit: Reddit user coolguyjenson pic.twitter.com/WPdnVuCsBE
— Zapped š¦šŗ šā” (@ZappedAU) August 6, 2024
As this car was unveiled in China last month, plans of building it in right-hand-drive for markets like ours in Australia were shared. These have now been confirmed.
Specs of the car EX5 in China were also shared including the offering of it in multiple variants.Ā
The powertrain on offer features a relatively powerful 160 kW motor with 320 Nm of torque. This allows us 0-100 km/h in under 7 seconds, outpacing the BYD Atto 3 currently on offer in the Australian market.
Two battery packs will also be available with the first 49.52 kWh pack expected to deliver of 440 km of CLTC range.
Geely Auto, the mainstream passenger vehicle brand under Geely Holding officially launched its newest electric SUV developed for the global market, the E5 this weekend.
The technologically packed model comes with Geely's latest innovations like its Short Blade battery, 11-in-1ā¦ pic.twitter.com/wqwchp2hNi
— Geely Group (@GeelyGroup) August 6, 2024
A bigger pack with 60.22 kWh capacity can deliver up to 530 km of NEDC range. The latter bigger pack can be expected to offer 450 km of real-world WLTP range.
These new battery packs are lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) in chemistry and contain Geelyās short Blade batteries with an energy density of 192 Wh/km.
This once again is above BYDās current Blade battery found in the Dolphin, Atto 3 and the Seal.
The announcement of Geely Autoās entry into Australia in the first half of 2025 will bring a new major automotive player into the market.Ā
Starting with an all-electric mid-sized SUV like the EX5 will help in getting some runs on the board in the local market and deliver more options for buyers looking at getting behind the wheel of a cleaner, more efficient car.
RizĀ is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.
About the size of a Toyota Rav 4 for those about to look it up. Not as stupid as most of these vehicles but again, do we really need another EV like this?
Where is the reasonably priced Yaris equivalent EV?
The EX5 is potentially the electric RAV4 equivalent, which Toyota currently refuses to make. It will be a matter of whether or not they can give comparable pricing. The time between now and release and the ongoing battery price declines make the odds of that all the more likely.
…and given the RAV4 is currently Australia most popular vehicle, it makes semse for the re to be many EV alternatives at this size segemnt
Dolphin, MG, Goodcat
Thanks, but I already have the Dolphin and it’s a very good car indeed. A Yaris-equivalent however, it is not.
Going by the size of the battery and chemistry, this should be a mid 30s priced car, similar to the BYD’s dolphin cheapest model. Geely has massive markups on their Volvo and Polestar so this should be their budget brand otherwise they are leaving that segment open and unattended.
I agree. When I see the word “Geely” my hand moves protectively towards my wallet. š¬
Thank you for listening to criticism and supplying this pertinent information, Riz. The battery is the most expensive component of an EV, and the chemistry dictates its characteristics, longevity, charging requirements, fire resistance, and more, It’s essential information.
Regarding the E5: it is similar to all the other short-wheelbase SUVs (Atto3, Zeekr X, Volvo XC40, etc) which means it cannot be used for car camping. IOW you cannot take a long cross country trip in one and then fold down the back seats and, with the help of a foam or air mattress, sleep in the car (if you cannot find a hotel room, for instance), This severely mars its usefulness.
I’m not saying this scenario never happens but I’d be amazed if you couldn’t count the number of potential buyers for whom this is a concern on the fingers of one hand.
LOL! Go to YouTube and search for ‘EV camping’ š
Smart unveils its biggest EV yet, the #5 with tech for electric “glamping” (thedriven.io) the #5 has promo material based on camping. Tesla model Y has plenty of 3rd party equipment for camping including a custom fit mattress and a fridge/freezer that fits in the cavity under the floor. I have window blackout screens and have thought about taking the kids away (although I was thinking of a caravan park). There is a camp mode setting and with the 12 or so speakers and large screen with disney + and netfix then why go to the drive ins. Cybertruck released a tent structure as an accessory, the Rivian has a slid out cook top and wash basin.
V2L is what is holding Tesla back but that brings on a lot of options with a battery powered camp site, beats running a petrol-powered generator.
Sure, but it’s tipped to be $100k. There is no-one considering the Atto put off by its lack of a projector.
Given that rav4s are the weapon of choice for people mainly living in city and urban environments, complaining about not being able to comfortably sleep in the back would probably strike them as hilarious.
‘roughing it’ now means accidentally letting your phone’s battery run down.
Wh/km? That is not a unit of energy density – it is a measure of vehicle energy use, and so involves much more than the specifics of the battery.
Could the intended unit have been Wh/kg, which is the unit of mass energy density?
Volumetric energy density would use Wh/litre
Presumably a typo and Wh/kg was intended.
I car camp in my Kona. Fortunately I’m only 175 cms.
I used to car camp in a Beetle, my girlfriend was about that height, she did seem more comfortable.
Australia’s trade with China used to be simple. We exchanged our natural resources for cheap tat.
Now it’s expensive bling.
Just manufacture a cheap, no frills EV. Creature comforts now means onboard Netflix. Bollox to that!
We still pay more than we earn.
More competition = ā
Yet another SUV = ā
The Driven articles with more specs = šš
Wow another Chinese manufacturer on the brink of going insolvent dumping their garbage product in Australia because they can’t find any buyers in Europe and US tariffs make them to expensive,.
Buyer Beware
These are the same unsubstantiated claims you post on every article about Chinese companies. Do you ever get tired of being a ranting idiot?
That’s the problem with ranting idiots, they don’t know they are idiots, they don’t have the mental capacity to understand how stupid they look, so they just keep going on and on. I wouldn’t hold your breath that this fool will go away any time soon.
Very similar to the Atto 3, by the look and specs of it. What’s the value-add?
Yet another ‘low slung’ car for the Oz market to contemplate.
Whoever comes first with a well built Ute, will clean up the market, in a big way.
At a reasonable price.
Only negative is the FWD but everything else it better than the Atto 3
Is the 80kW maximum DC charging speed better than Atto 3?