Another day, another new car brand.
It feels a bit like groundhog day in the Australian car industry with a flood of new brands, most from China, arriving to try their luck in our market. But the latest addition isn’t a small brand that only popped up a few years ago, Geely is one of the world’s biggest car makers.
Geely owns Volvo, Lotus, Polestar, Zeekr and has a stake in both Daimler and Smart, as well as a huge array of non-automotive business including satellites, smartphones and Artificial Intelligence (AI). It is hoping to make an impact in the Australian market with its fully-integrated approach to car design and construction that includes elements from its smartphone company, audio company and AI.
But while that all sounds hi-tech, all you really need to know is that Geely has big plans for its own brand in Australia, starting with the EX5 mid-size electric SUV. It revealed the new model at Sydney’s Luna Park last night in a glitzy affair, finishing with the revelation the range would start at just $40,990 (plus on-road costs). That makes the EX5 Complete only fractionally more expensive than a Mazda CX-5 2WD Maxx Sport (from $40,310) and cheaper than a Hyundai Tucson hybrid (from $45,100). The higher-grade EX5 Inspire is priced from $44,990 (plus on-road costs), which is still highly competitive in the mid-size SUV market, but especially for an electric model.
And that’s only the beginning. To help drive initial demand, Geely Australia is offering three years of free servicing, a free home charger and one year of free public charging on all sales before the end of April.
“We believe this price offers great value,” said Geely Auto Australia chief, Li Lei. “But we also provide exceptional warranty and service plans.
“With our attractive prices and offers, were hope every customer can see Geely’s strong commitment to Australia and New Zealand. We are here to stay.”
The EX5 is only the beginning though, with Geely confirming plans for six new models within the next three years.
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