Geely Galaxy E8: 636bhp electric saloon could be coming to the UK as brand’s halo model
Geely is not just bringing China’s most popular car here, but its flagship saloon, too
We recently got wind of Geely’s strategy to become bigger than Toyota and Vauxhall in the UK by the end of the decade with a suite of new model launches – one of which could be the Geely Galaxy E8 all-electric saloon that’s already on sale in China.
Speaking to Auto Express, Harry Bathe, Geely UK head of sales, told us to get ready for a new flagship model, saying: “Yes, there will be a halo product coming. When? I can’t confirm, but we will have some form of halo product in the UK because it’s really good for brand awareness.”
We’ve been told two cars will be positioned as the brand’s so-called ‘halo product’: the first is a rugged yet hi-tech 4x4, codenamed the KO11, which is due to arrive in 2028 and will look to target buyers of serious off-roaders such as the Land Rover Defender.
The other will be a D-segment electric saloon, that’s due to come here late next year. While Bathe didn’t reveal much else at this time, we suspect the model in question is the Galaxy E8 that arrived in China in March 2025.
Sitting on a similar PMA2+ platform as the Smart #5 SUV and more closely, the Zeekr 007 saloon, the Geely Galaxy E8 measures a little over five metres long, with a width of 1,920mm and a height of 1,465mm. This makes it a close rival size-wise at least to the BMW i5 and Audi A6 e-tron. It’s also possible the car will drop the ‘Galaxy’ name and just become ‘E8’ in the UK, similar to how the Galaxy E5 SUV became the EX5 over here or Galaxy Starship 7 was rebranded as the Starray.
Either way, Geely is looking to expand the top end of its range after recently announcing there will be a new small SUV with plug-in hybrid and pure-electric power in 2027, along with a large plug-in hybrid SUV in 2028. Then there’s China’s biggest-selling car, the EX2, which will go on sale here in the summer, likely starting from around £20,000. If you don’t want to wait until then for an all-electric Geely – the EX5 is already on sale on the Auto Express Buy A Car service with an average saving of almost £1,000 to be had.
Despite the Galaxy E8’s size, it has a drag coefficient of just 0.19 – below the Mercedes EQS, which has the lowest drag of any EV on sale currently in the UK, at 0.20.
The Galaxy E8 in China gets a 62kWh LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery pack to provide a CLTC-rated 341 miles of range in dual-motor guise or up to 434 miles with a single motor. Then there’s a larger 76kWh LFP unit with a maximum of 385 miles due to only coming in dual-motor form. Up to 636bhp is available from the dual-motor, enough for a 0-62mph time of just 3.5 seconds, according to Geely.
Inside the Galaxy E8 there’s a massive screen that dwarfs even Mercedes’ ‘Hyperscreen’. Measuring a colossal 45-inches, the display in effect replaces the entire dash and stretches the whole width of the cabin.
Pricing of the Galaxy E8 in China starts at 188,000 yuan which equates to around £20,000. Given that’s the proposed starting price of the EX2, we suspect the Galaxy E8 ‘halo’ car will see its price rise dramatically when it reaches the UK market – which could be as soon as next year.
Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.
