Really good Geely could be next big Chinese EV hit

Geely EX2 launch by Steve Rogers

Chinese cars are steamrollering Britain faster than we can tarmac our roads.

Brands you would never have heard of a couple of years ago have become household names. Who hasn’t seen the big Jaecoo badge on a front grille, in fact the Jaecoo 7 was the top selling car in October just pipping the mighty Ford Puma. What a feat.

It is almost the case that whichever Chinese car company launches in Britain is guaranteed a shedload of sales and here is another company hoping to keep the kettle boiling .

Geely (not Jeely) is our newest visitor, a sister brand to the group behind Volvo and Polestar, and has tested the water with the electric EX5 and Starray plug-in hybrid reviewed here, very favourably, in April. Now it is giving a debut to its superstar electric supermini, the Geely EX2, and superstar is no exaggeration.

This is the best selling car in China notching up 460,000 sales, almost the same number of electric cars sold here in 2025. Okay there are a lot more people in China, but all the same…

Is it any good? The car came in for a bit of stick for its software gremlins when it was shown to the motoring press, but the problems were fixed in a few weeks ready for its launch in the UK. Is that an eagerness to please or what.

What we have is a kind-to-the-wallet entry into the world of electric motoring. A budget starting price of £20,990 albeit with a limited 156-mile range from a 35kWh battery. But if you are not fazed by that there is a lot for your money. 

This is an incredibly roomy, proper five-seater with a boot bigger than a VW Polo and a shade less than the market leading Skoda Fabia, and they are not electric! Under the bonnet is a 70 litre bin, ideal for storing the bulky charging cables which sort of makes it top dog on storage space.

I put a six-footer in the front seat leaving bags of legroom for me in the back, and with a flat backrest there is no penalty for taking the middle seat. The flat floor helps and there is a heap of space under the seat. We might see a pull-out drawer added in the not too distant. There is already one under the front passenger seat.

I drove the top level Ultra, a jump of nearly five grand over the entry Pro, but you get a bigger 47kWh battery and an extra 56 miles of range plus the sort of spec you expect in a premium car. Leather seats, which are the most comfortable of any small car I have driven, powered, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, wireless mobile charging, 360 degree camera and powered tailgate.

The cabin is standard Chinese fare with a large 14.6in touchscreen dominating the dashboard. It needs to be that big because just about every function goes through the screen barring a few switches for the heating. I was not in the car long enough to get comfortable with it and from what I saw would take a while. Anyone familiar with a snazzy smartphone will have it sussed in a flash.

Ultra has the larger battery and more horsepower than the Pro but don’t expect the usual electric car lightning acceleration. A sprint to 62mph takes a leisurely 11.5 seconds, 14 seconds for the Pro, but it buzzes along quite happily at motorway speeds. It favours a soft, supple ride and keeps you comfortable over speed humps. Rear-wheel drive is interesting in as much as I expected sharper handling. It is not unruly through bends but still a little too lively. A BYD Dolphin and MG4 are more composed.

I can fairly confidently predict EX2 is going to sell well, Geely is predicting 10,000 sales next year. It sits well in the small electric city car bracket for two key reasons: space and price along with a good spec, extensive safety package, refined cabin and eight-year warranty.

If you don’t want to go Ultra, the middle ground is Max with the larger battery but £2,000 kinder on the pocket.

This is only the first chapter of the Geely story. There is an ambitious 45,000 sales target by 2027 with new models in the pipeline starting with Monjaro, a plug-in hybrid SUV and Project KO11, an 1100bhp monster.

Fast facts

EX2 Ultra

£25,490

Range: 214 miles

Battery: 47kWh

Power: 114bhp

0-62mph 11.5secs; 81mph

Zero emissions. 1st VED £10

Insurance group 18

Boot: 375-1320 litres