Peter Lyon
March 13, 2025
After launching in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia over the last few months, the Geely EX5 is now set to go on sale in Australia and New Zealand next month. The Chinese equivalent of Malaysia’s Proton eMAS 7 (stylised as e.MAS 7) has recently been introduced in Australia (and New Zealand) in two versions that closely resemble the specifications of their Malaysian equivalents. The prices start at AUD40,990 (about RM114k), making it the second cheapest electric SUV on the Aussie market after the $39,990 BYD Atto 3.
The launch of the EX5 in Oceania in 2025 is the first step in the company’s 2030 Vision, which calls for the establishment of more than 1,100 sales and service locations worldwide.
To achieve that goal, Geely established a regional subsidiary in Australia last year, aiming to integrate local dealers, suppliers, and partners as part of the company’s globalisation strategy. By December, the Chinese carmaker intends to establish 24 dealer outlets in the Australian and New Zealand markets, with a long-term goal of over 100 outlets.
Additionally, the Geely 2030 Vision program intends to introduce in countries such as South Africa, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Geely built a facility in Egypt to locally assemble the Geely Emgrand and Coolray models, which are referred to as the Proton S70 and Proton X50 in Malaysia.
Eight new energy vehicle (NEV) models built on GEA architecture will be introduced by Geely in foreign markets over the next three years. Additionally, the firm unveiled GEELY GO, an international user brand that seeks to link 17 million Geely owners worldwide.
The EX5 is a crucial component of that lineup, and by 2025, the company plans to launch it in more than 20 regions, greatly increasing its global footprint. After surpassing the 100,000-unit manufacturing milestone in just six months, it’s already off to a strong start.
In Australia, the Geely EX5 comes in Complete and Inspire variants, with prices ranging from AUD40,990 to AUD44,900. Similar to the Thai specs and the eMAS 7, both versions include a front-mounted electric motor that generates 218 horsepower and 320 Nm.
Each of the two models has a 60.22 kWh battery pack, with the WLTP range of the Complete and Inspire variants is 430 and 410 km, respectively. Despite having the identical battery pack, the Inspire variant’s larger 19-inch alloy wheels are claimed by the maker to be the reason for the range variance.
This is in contrast to the Proton eMAS 7, whose base Prime variant has a 49.52 kWh battery pack with a 345 km (WLTP) range. The Inspire’s 410 km WLTP range is matched by the Premium model, which has the same 60.22 kWh battery as the Australian EX5.
Similar to the eMAS 7, the Aussie Geely EX5 comes with a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and a 15.4-inch central touchscreen infotainment screen. The Inspire model includes a panoramic sunroof, a 16-speaker Flyme sound system, and a 13.4-inch heads-up display (HUD).
CARLIST THOUGHTS
Well, you can’t ignore the Chinese anymore. They are truly making a bold bullish move in many markets across Asia and into Europe. The EX5 is sharp-looking, will land in showrooms with an almost unbeatable price while offering some advanced tech plus decent range that makes this EV a real competitor.
