Australian launch prep has Geely tuning up
BY MATT CAMPBELL | 2nd Dec 2024
GEELY is not even selling its cars in Australia yet, but the Chinese brand says it intends to make sure the vehicles are right for this market before they arrive in the first half of next year, not after.
Following the experience of some other new brands out of China that have launched their vehicles here only to rework them shortly after, Geely is adamant it will not make the same mistakes as others.
Geely Auto vice president Michael Song told select media in China that the brand is working to meet the market with specific considerations for vehicles like the new EX5 electric SUV that will be the first Geely-badged model to launch in Australia.
The new Geely EX5 is expected to be priced around $45,000 before on-roads, and will have 430km of batttery range, a mid-size SUV body with lots of practicality, and all the advanced safety tech that buyers appreciate – but the latter will be tuned to our market needs, as will the suspension system, according to the brand.
“Looking at market demand, the global market is diverse, so products in the international market increasingly have these characteristics,” said Mr Song.
“For the same product, we need to make regional innovations based on different local needs. From a marketing perspective, with the entry of energy-diversified products into the market, the ecosystem has created different experiences, so these pre-sale, during-sale, and after-sale services also need to be different,” he said.
The exact specifics of what will be done to ‘tune’ the cars to meet local requirements is yet to be confirmed, but it is understood that there will be calibration of the camera and radar systems to work within Australian driving conditions for the safety systems.
Meanwhile, the EX5 GoAuto tested at Ningbo International Track in China instantly felt too soft for Australian market tastes, with spongy dampers and springs that, while exhibiting fair comfort and control, would be less suitable on Australia’s ever-changing and unsettling surfaces.
It is also expected that the EX5 will have over-the-air update capability, meaning software adjustments may be possible without the need to visit a dealership.
“Whether it’s building innovation capabilities or market demand for innovation, there is a common connection point between these two: creating higher value experiences through innovation,” he said, suggesting the brand knows it needs to understand the consumer requirements, and not just meet them but aim to exceed them,” said Mr Song.
“From this perspective, vehicle intelligence also means real-time innovation. So this also brings us adjustments - the demand for innovation in the new energy era may be much higher than before.”
Geely will launch in Australia in the first half of 2025, with the EX5 midsize SUV the first model to arrive.
It is expected that like the Leapmotor C10, the Geely EX5 will be priced like a BYD Atto 3 but it is closer in size to a Model Y. It offers a front-wheel drive powertrain with an electric motor, 60kWh battery pack, 11kW AC and 100kW DC charging, and a healthy list of standard spec and tech.
The brand is expected to add to its range in 2025, and it was made clear to GoAuto at a recent event in China that Australia is a priority for the brand moving into the age of NVES and increased tariffs in other markets.
