Geely expands the commercialisation of its EX5 electric SUV to new European markets

The Chinese manufacturer Geely continues to expand its presence in the Old Continent, this time bringing its main brand to Italy. After launching its offensive this summer in Greece, the United Kingdom and some Eastern European countries, it is now the turn of the Italian market, one of the most complex and relevant in Europe.

The first Geely-branded models to reach Italian roads are two new-generation SUVs: the fully electric EX5 SUV and the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid. As we already reported last summer when its European launch was announced, this compact electric SUV, part of the C segment and known in China as the Galaxy E5, offers up to 425 km of WLTP range and is based on the group’s modern GEA global platform –Global Intelligent Electric Architecture-.

The Starray EM-i, on the other hand, is a plug-in hybrid that combines a combustion engine with an electric motor, allowing it to cover 90 km without burning a single drop of petrol and up to almost a thousand kilometres once the combustion engine kicks in.

An important step for Geely in Europe

Geely’s operations in Italy are launched in partnership with Jameel Motors, a Saudi company that already distributes Farizon commercial vehicles, another subsidiary of the Geely group, in the United Kingdom. Although the Chinese conglomerate has been present in Europe for years as the owner of Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and as a 50 per cent partner in Smart alongside Mercedes-Benz, until now it had kept its main brand outside the European passenger car market.

Geely describes the arrival of the group’s main brand in Italy as the start of a cultural and technological journey that seeks to combine quality, safety, design and innovation. These values resonate especially in a country like Italy, with its particular taste for automotive design.

Geely aims to become a global brand

With the launch of the EX5 in Europe last summer and its expansion now into new markets, this compact SUV positions itself as the first truly global model of the Geely brand. Besides Europe and China, the EX5 is sold in far-away markets such as Brazil thanks to an agreement with Renault, and availability on other continents is also planned.

Additionally, Geely plans the global commercialisation of the EX2 city car, which is none other than the international version of the successful Chinese Geometry E. If everything goes as planned, this model will be available on all five continents within the next twelve months.

With this strategy, Geely aims to consolidate its own image beyond the premium brands it already controls, betting on advanced technology and a design that seeks to connect with European tastes.