Geely’s budget EV to arrive ready for Oz

The EX5 mid-size SUV is the first model to arrive Down Under from the electric Chinese car-maker and is set to go on sale in April 2025 as the first of many Geely-branded models due in the coming years.

It’s also set to be aggressively priced, with the Tesla Model Y rival tipped to start from less than $50,000 when a pair of EX5 variants – the EX5 Complete and EX5 Inspire – arrive in local showrooms.

Now, the brand is aiming to broaden its appeal, targeting buyers more concerned with handling and dynamics, revealing the extensive evaluation program conducted on local roads.

According to Geely, the brand has been fine-tuning the EX5’s suspension over the past 12 months to ‘prepare its first model for the often tough and unforgiving Australian driving conditions’.

With a focus on coarse-chip road surfaces, long-distance highways with undulating stretches, and suburban roads dotted with speed humps and roundabouts, the Chinese manufacturer says the EX5 will offer refined, composed, and sure-footed comfort.

“Geely is extremely proud of the work the Australian team has done to make the Geely EX5 fit for purpose for the local market,” said the head of Geely Auto Australia, Li Lei. “We now have a great understanding of what Australian car consumers need in a vehicle, how they use it and what features they love.

“We wanted to ensure the car offered a great experience for Australians and these
adjustments will deliver a smoother ride over rough surfaces, improved stability for long-distance journeys, and the durability to handle variable loads – all while maintaining the comfort, confidence and reliability consumers expect."

The electric SUV rides on MacPherson independent front suspension and a multi-link rear-end.

As we’ve previously reported, the EX5 will come equipped with all the regular safety gear including seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, front cross-traffic alert, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, blind-spot detection, speed sign recognition, driver fatigue alert and door open warning.

Meanwhile, a front-wheel-drive single electric motor set-up powers the EX5 range, serving up 160kW/320Nm.

A 60.22kWh lithium-ferrous phosphate (LFP) battery is claimed to provide up to 430km of WLTP range in the Complete and 410km in the Inspire.

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