Geely is coming to the UK, and its assault will start with EX5 SUV

We can confirm Geely is coming to the UK. It seems like there’s a new Chinese brand coming to these shores every week and while some of them are fairly unknown, Geely is an automotive giant and owner of the likes of Volvo, Polestar and Lotus, so it’s safe to say the firm will be one Chinese car company to be reckoned with.

The first car Geely will launch here will be the EX5 and it’s an all-electric C-segment SUV that’s designed to rival the Skoda Enyaq, Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 – not to mention other family EVs from China, such as the Leapmotor C10. 

Geely’s expansion into the UK market comes as the wider Geely Auto Group announced a record 2.1 million vehicle sales in 2024 – an increase of 34 per cent and more than 400,000 of those coming from markets outside China. 

The plan for Geely in the UK will be to deliver its own network of dealerships, rather than share or envelope its sub-brands’ existing franchises. 

The EX5 will be looking to take a slice of the popular all-electric mid-size SUV pie. It’s not merely the same model that was first unveiled for the Chinese market in late 2024 either. Citing similarities between customer tastes, the EX5 we’ll get in the UK will be based on the Australian-market model (also due to both being right-hand-drive vehicles).  

14

Geely has also sought the help of Lotus with the EX5, by allowing the Norfolk sportscar firm to run a ‘number of tests’ on the EV. In regards to the EX5’s UK launch, Mike Yang,  Geely Auto UK’s general manager, said: “We’re aware that UK customers have unique demands. For that reason, before we release the car for sale, we’re working with the experts at Lotus Engineering to make sure we have a car that’s in line with expectations. Lotus Engineering has a formidable track record along with some of the best R&D resources, so we’re delighted to be working closely with them.”

We’re not sure what findings Lotus made during its ‘comprehensive evaluation’ of the EX5, although Geely says the car is tailored to ‘European roads and customer driving styles’.

Specifications for the EX5 haven’t been announced, but we imagine it will mirror the variant offered in Australia. That model has a 60.2kWh battery offering a WLTP-rated 267-mile range, a 20-minute 30 to 80 per cent recharge time, thanks to a maximum rate of 100kW, plus a front-mounted 215bhp electric motor that allows for a 6.9-second 0-62mph time. 

We expect the 15.4-inch central touchscreen to be carried over from other markets, along with a 10.2-inch driver’s display and an almost complete lack of physical buttons, aside from a large rotary dial on the centre console.

While pricing hasn’t been revealed for the Geely EX5, we expect it to start from around £35,000 when sales start in Q4 this year. 

Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has some fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from...