Geely’s UK debut would be a gem if it wasn’t such a control freak: We test the new electric EX5 SUV

Nearly a decade ago, I interviewed Li Shufu, the founder and billionaire boss of Geely, which I then called ‘the biggest Chinese car company you’ve probably never heard of’.

I asked him then when his firm, which now owns brands such as Volvo and owns an almost 10 per cent stake in Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler, would sell Geely-badged cars exclusively in the UK. ‘It’s too early to tell’ was his non-committal response. But he hoped to do so at some point.

That’s the point right now. Geely – which means ‘lucky’ in Chinese – enjoyed its launch in London, after which I went for a test drive of its first model for British roads.

The EX5 is a roomy, comfortable, well-equipped and affordable all-electric SUV with many features to recommend it, including its smart interior, large boot and eight-year warranty. We expect a hybrid version next year.

But there are also some annoying quirks, such as an over-reliance on the touchscreen and a tendency to ‘nanny’ the driver with alerts and alerts.

Built in China, the EX5 has been fine-tuned for UK roads at Geely’s engineering base in Coventry, with input from Lotus.

Priced from £31,990 (before discounts), there are three trim levels: SE, Pro and Max, of which I drove the middle one. Powered by 19-inch wheels (18-inch for SE trim) and a 218-hp (160-kW) single-motor front-wheel-drive electric motor, the five-seat EX5 sprints from rest to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds, with a top speed limited to 106 mph. The 60 kWh battery promises a range of up to 267 miles; can take you from north London to Durham.

The front seats are incredibly comfortable and can fold almost flat. There’s also plenty of leg and head room in the back, as well as a 14-litre pull-out drawer under the rear seat.

It drives well enough. I found the default Comfort mode to be energetic and engaging, but the Sport mode was almost too much. If your palms are sweaty when it comes to finding a working public charging point, the Eco is no problem.

Most everything is guided Tesla-style via the touchscreen, and this will undoubtedly take time to master. But the real bug is the constant nannying ‘ping ping ping’ by the digital security system. So please Geely, give us the freedom to decide for ourselves.

The five-seat EX5 accelerates from rest to 62mph in 6.9 seconds, with a top speed limited to 106mph

Most everything is managed Tesla-style via the touchscreen, and this will undoubtedly take time to master.

60kWh battery promises range of up to 267 miles – can take you from north London to Durham

Remember, whether it’s a babysitter, a car, or a nation-state, the nanny doesn’t always know best.

But there are practical features.

Flexible boot space increases from 461 liters with the seats up (and including floor space) to 1,877 liters with the rear seats folded flat.

The rotary dial controls media volume, ambient lighting, and acts as a quick access button for heating controls including fan speed and temperature.

• The entry-level SE trim level, from £31,990, comes with standard kit including 18-inch alloy wheels, surround-view cameras, 15.4-inch central infotainment screen, 10.2-inch LCD instrument cluster, navigation, keyless entry and start, wireless charging, Apple Carplay, privacy glass, synthetic leather interior, heated steering wheel and comprehensive electronic advanced driver assistance and autonomous braking aids.
• The mid-range Pro, priced from £33,990, adds 19-inch alloy wheels and extra interior trim options.
• The top-end price starts at £36,990 and adds even more, including a large panoramic sunroof, 13.8-inch head-up display, electric tailgate, metallic paint, 256-colour ambient lighting, 16-Speaker FlyMe Sound premium sound system, front parking sensors, front seat ventilation, massage seats, memory settings and electrically adjustable front passenger seat leg rests.

There is an 8-year warranty for the vehicle and battery, four years of roadside assistance for private buyers and two years of free maintenance service.

To attract new buyers to the Geely brand, the company is also offering some interesting cash and finance deals.

This includes cash discounts of between £2,300 and £3,750 and a £1,000 part-exchange offer on an existing petrol or diesel car.

There’s also the option of a subsidized Anderssen EV home wall charger for £499, or a charging card with £500 credit with Octopus Electroverse.

There is an 8-year warranty for the vehicle and battery, four years of roadside assistance for private buyers and two years of free maintenance service.

There’s also plenty of leg and head room in the back, as well as a 14-litre pull-out drawer under the rear seat.

The top-spec Max price starts at £36,990 and adds more, including a large panoramic sunroof

The front seats are incredibly comfortable and can fold back almost flat.

Flexible boot space increases from 461 liters with the seats up (and including floor space) to 1,877 liters with the rear seats folded flat

So the top-end buyer of the Geely EX5 Max range could see the £36,990 list price drop to £33,240 (by way of £3,750 discount) and a further £1,000 to £32,240 if they swap in an older petrol or diesel car.

There are also attractive pcp car finance deals available from £339 per month with deposits starting from £3,500.

Fast DC charging promises up to 80 percent charge in 20 minutes with a 7 kW home charger, or 100 percent in just over 6 hours.

Besides Volvo, other brands in the Geely family include Lotus, Polestar, Smart, Proton and LEVC, which produces London’s ubiquitous electric black cabs.

While the Geely name may not yet resonate in Britain (give it time), its global footprint is huge, with 3.3 million sales worldwide by 2024. This includes brands that sell 4.2 per cent of cars in the UK, including 1 in 14 EVs. It also produces satellites, microchips, smart planes and green technology.

That’s quite a feat for Geely’s billionaire founder Li Shufu, who adopts the English name Eric and is known to understand and speak English, though he usually speaks through a translator. Born in 1963, the baby boomer Chinese entrepreneur started his fledgling business selling refrigerators in 1986, before branching out into motorized bicycles and then Geely motorcars in 1996. A long way has come since those early days.

But still, the Chinese are famous for their long-term thinking. As Chinese premier Zhou Enlai said (and probably apocryphally) to US President Nixon in the early 1970s when asked for his opinion on the impact of the French Revolution: ‘It is too early to tell.’