Behind the wheel of the Geely E2: more car than it looks

At last we have been able to drive the car everyone has been talking about in recent months, the Geely E2, an electric city car that comes with nothing less than the endorsement of being the best-selling car on the Chinese market. And there is no better way to find out whether it has enough arguments to convince European drivers too than to take its wheel. Let’s take it step by step.

A very eye-catching design

Personally I had my doubts about whether the E2’s design would win over a market like Spain’s after seeing it in photos and videos. But in person I have to admit it is much more attractive. The proportions work better in the flesh, it looks wider and more planted, and some details that might initially go unnoticed add quite a lot of personality to the whole. I think it is a car that can appeal to a broad audience, despite not following the “SUV formula” that seems almost essential if you want to make a splash even in this category.

It is also true that the impression the car gives changes a great deal depending on the body colour chosen. Geely has gone for a very playful palette, with shades it calls Menta (green), Rosé (pink), Vanilla (cream) or Blanco Nieve (snow white), alongside more conventional options such as Gris Grafito (graphite grey) or Plata Stellar (silver). In all of them the roof is painted black for contrast. And as you can imagine, the E2 changes character quite a bit depending on the colour: with certain combinations it has a clearly more feminine and youthful image; with others it becomes a much more neutral car suitable for all audiences.

But let’s move on, because the exterior design is by no means what draws the most attention once you start getting to know the Geely E2.

Small on the outside, surprisingly large on the inside

The Geely E2 measures 4.13 metres in length, 1.80 metres in width and 1.58 metres in height, with a wheelbase of 2.64 metres. It is therefore a car that is clearly easy to manage in the city. Once inside, however, the feeling is that of being in a vehicle from a higher category.

Geely speaks of 85% cabin space utilisation. It is not a common figure that allows direct comparisons with other models, but it is undoubtedly one of the E2’s strongest selling points, because there is plenty of room in the cabin both in front and behind, and the interior is really very well used. The flat floor and generous width mean that even five adults can squeeze in for a short city trip, although on longer journeys, which I can tell you in advance the E2 handles willingly, it is ideal to reserve that space for two occupants.

It is clear that the cabin offers far more than you would expect from looking at the car from the outside. It is not only about passenger space or how easy it is to fit and manage child seats. The rear boot offers 375 litres, expandable to 1,320 litres with the rear seats folded down, very good figures for a car of this size and layout, which, let us not forget, is mainly urban. And even more interesting is the 70-litre front boot. It is not the token cubbyhole where barely a charging cable fits: it can hold a reasonably sized suitcase or travel bag and, above all, adds a great deal of practicality for everyday use. You can keep the cables there without taking up space in the rear boot, or store items you want to keep apart from the luggage.

On top of this there are numerous storage spaces spread throughout the interior — Geely speaks of up to 36 storage solutions — including a large glovebox in the form of a sliding drawer and a 28-litre compartment under the rear bench that Geely makes use of by offering, as an option, a made-to-measure sort of “suitcase” which gives plenty of scope for storing items that would otherwise end up rolling around the boot.

A simple interior, but well made

Do not expect in the Geely E2 the materials that predominate in its bigger siblings in the range, the E5 and the Starray EM-i. Here there is quite a lot of hard plastic, which is especially evident in some areas of the dashboard and door panels. The good news is that they do not give the impression of a cheap car. The presentation is pleasant, the fit and finish of the unit we drove were good, and the interior design is clean and modern. It can be said that the initial impression is that the perceived quality and overall fit are above what the materials would suggest, as long as you start touching — and listening to the noise they make — every surface with your fingers.

The central 14.6-inch screen brings together much of the car’s functions and uses Geely’s Flyme Auto system, which works exactly the same as across the rest of the range, that is, very well. In front of the driver is an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster. The interface responds quickly, and the car includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 4G connectivity and remote updates. With Apple CarPlay at least, the connection was easy, fast and stable.

As is already the case in many current cars, some functions that we would appreciate having through a physical control force you to go into the screen. Among them is selecting the driving modes or adjusting regenerative braking. It is not especially complicated, but paddles behind the steering wheel would be much more practical.

Two batteries to choose from and up to 345 km of range

The Geely E2 range is built around two mechanical configurations.

• The E2 PRO combines a 35 kWh LFP battery with a 60 kW rear electric motor, equivalent to 80 CV. It is homologated for 252 km of combined WLTP range and up to 368 km in the urban cycle.
• The PRO+ and MAX+ use a 47 kWh LFP battery as well, and raise the power to 85 kW, 115 CV, with 150 Nm of torque. In this case the homologated range reaches 345 km in the combined cycle and 497 km in the city. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 11.5 seconds and the top speed is limited to 130 km/h.

On paper these are not figures that turn the E2 into a car designed primarily for long journeys. The smaller-battery version in particular has a clearly urban orientation. With the 47 kWh battery things change and it offers considerably more margin for alternating between city, fast roads and getaways along country roads, although 345 km WLTP still means you have to plan when it comes to longer-distance routes.

Perhaps because of this approach, Geely is not aiming to break records with fast charging either, which is confirmed by 60 kW on the PRO and 80 kW on the PRO+ and MAX+. These are not high powers, but since the battery is not very large either, in both cases around 25 minutes is enough to go from 30 to 80% under optimal conditions. On AC charging it accepts up to 6.6 kW. All versions also include V2L to power external electrical devices.

Pleasant and efficient in the city… and with an interesting edge on the open road

One of the best pieces of news appears once we start moving. Geely homologates 15.9 kWh/100 km for the smaller-battery version and 15.5 kWh/100 km for the 47 kWh one on the combined cycle, while in urban use it quotes 12.2 and 12.8 kWh/100 km respectively.

And from what we have been able to verify, pending a more thorough test, these are figures that are perfectly attainable in real driving without having to try very hard. Without a doubt, the E2 shows signs of becoming a particularly efficient electric car in its natural habitat. This matters especially in a battery electric car with a relatively small battery, since it allows reasonable ranges to be achieved without the “penalty” to performance, dynamic behaviour and even charging that a larger-capacity battery entails.

Dynamically, the Geely E2 is, above all, a car that is very pleasant to drive. Power delivery is progressive in the driving modes you will use most, which are Eco and Comfort; the latter is the one it always starts in by default. There are two further modes: Sport, in which you clearly notice more push and a quicker reaction to the accelerator; and Snow mode, to soften power delivery even further in conditions of very low grip. Insulation is adequate and the suspension filters out bumps well. In town it moves with great ease, and the turning circle of just 4.95 metres helps a lot in narrow streets and parking manoeuvres. But once you leave urban traffic behind, the E2 also has a lot to say.

Geely has opted for a configuration that is unusual in electric cars of this size: rear-wheel drive and rear motor, independent multi-link suspension at the back and a weight distribution close to 50:50. The chassis has also received a specific set-up for Europe. This does not turn the E2 into a sports car, but it does have that agility typical of a rear-drive car. The steering could communicate a little more and the performance is adequate, but it has to be said that on a road it is more natural and entertaining than its urban layout might suggest. You can let the car adapt the steering assistance to the chosen driving programme, or set it at different levels. The one I liked best was “Sport” mode.

The suspension has a firm but comfortable tune and allows some body movement if we push the pace hard, but the whole holds its line well and inspires confidence. The good balance of the chassis and the dynamic extra that rear-wheel drive brings are another of this small car’s strengths… perhaps the one that those thinking of this car for mainly urban use will value least. But it is there.

The price of the Geely E2: watch the small print

You have probably seen or will see adverts promoting the Geely E2 from under 14,000 euros. And it is true, you can get into the electric city car for that price, but be careful with the “small print”.

The list price starts at 20,990 euros for the Geely E2 PRO, from 24,990 euros for the PRO+ and rises to 27,490 euros for the MAX+. But at least during the launch phase, and for now with no planned end date, Geely announces promotional prices from 13,990 euros, 16,485 euros and 18,485 euros respectively. That is up to 7,000 euros less in the case of the entry version, 8,500 on the PRO+, and 9,000 euros on the MAX+. And here is where the launch promotion, the sales campaigns, the discount for financing and the Plan Auto+ aid come in.

Once the launch campaign ends, the final prices will be 14,490 euros, 17,985 euros and 20,485 euros, again with campaigns, financing and Plan Auto+. Keep this in mind, because the 14,490 euros of the entry version, for example, becomes more than 21,000 euros, which in the end is practically what you would pay if you bought the car outright. This happens with all brands, so I recommend analysing the offers carefully and, above all, running the numbers on the financing.

In any case, the price of the Geely E2 is very competitive against its rivals. Not forgetting another relevant point when buying: Geely offers eight years or 200,000 kilometres of warranty for both the vehicle and the battery, one of the best warranties on the market.

Another strong point of the E2, as is usual with models from the Chinese brands arriving in our market, is its complete equipment from the basic versions. From the PRO trim onward it includes automatic climate control, a 14.6-inch screen, digital instrumentation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry and start, electric adjustment for both front seats, V2L and a wide range of driver assistance systems.

The MAX+ adds features such as an electric tailgate, heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless charger, ambient lighting, a six-speaker sound system and a 540-degree panoramic camera. It is also well prepared when it comes to safety. It has seven airbags and up to 23 assistance functions, and has achieved five Euro NCAP stars under the 2026 protocol.

Geely E2: first conclusions

After this first contact, the Geely E2 delivers on what it promises. It has a huge interior considering its exterior dimensions, makes very good use of every available space and offers two genuinely useful boots. It is also very well equipped. In terms of dynamic behaviour, it is quiet, comfortable, easy to drive and can use very little energy in the city. When you head out onto the open road, the rear-wheel drive and a well-judged set-up add an agility that was not essential in a car of this type, but which is welcome.

Are there areas for improvement or things to keep in mind? There are. The 252 km range of the basic version clearly limits its radius of action, the 345 km of the higher variants do not make the E2 a specialist in long journeys either, and a maximum charging power of 80 kW may seem modest compared with some rivals. A few additional physical controls in the cabin would not go amiss either. Bearing all this in mind when choosing, the Geely E2 is currently one of the best options in its category, and it is going to make things very difficult for the BYD Dolphin Surf and Citroën ë-C3, with which it competes on price… and it may even be an alternative in terms of size and space to the Kia EV2 or the Skoda Epic, which are more expensive.

Geely E2 – Photo gallery