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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Chinese car giant to launch as standalone brand in UK with its own network of dealerships rivalling Hyundai, Kia & Skoda
A MAJOR Chinese car brand has announced it will be launching in the UK. The motors firm will put one of its most popular models on the British market towards the end of the year. Advertisement 2 Geely is set to launch on the UK market at the end of the year (stock image) Credit: Reuters Geely, which owns LEVC, Lotus, Polestar, and Volvo, will soon be launching in the UK. British showrooms will see the Geely EX5 in the final quarter of the year. And the brand will open its own standalone dealership network in the UK. The model is an electric crossover designed to rival the Skoda Elroq, Kia EV3, and Renault Megane. Advertisement Read More On Motors Geely said the EX5 has been assessed by Lotus Engineering to evaluate whether it requires retuning for European roads. Model details UK specifications have yet to be announced while globally, the crossover is offered with a choice of 49.5kWh or 60.2kWh battery packs. The 60.2kWh pack yields a range of up to 264 miles on the WLTP test cycle. And they can be charged at a rate of up to 100kW on a DC connection, giving the bigger battery a 30-80% refill in 20 minutes. Advertisement Most read in Motors It also has a single front-mounted motor that puts out 215bhp, giving a 0-62mph sprint time of 6.9sec. Inside, the car seats five and features a 15.4in infotainment touchscreen. World's thinnest car measuring just 19in wide that's skinnier than a motorbike is unveiled… & it works if you can fit in UK market While prices have yet to be announced, the EX5 starts from $40,990 (£19,500) in Australia. This hints at a potential price of between £25,000 and £30,000 here in the UK. Advertisement Geely said that fleet buyers are expected to be a 'key segment' for the model. They reported that these customers account for the majority of EV sales at present. The company added that it was confident that it will appeal to UK buyers. Car Auctions: How To Nab A Bargain Car auctions are a way to sell vehicles based on a bidding system with the highest offer securing the deal. Auctions aren't restricted to the rich and famous as thousands of cars are sold at motor auctions in the UK each week. Here's what you need to know before attending an auction: Be prepared: Do your research on the car you would like to purchase beforehand. Check the car: Cars will usually be lined up before the start, so make sure to arrive early to inspect the desired car thoroughly. Have a back-up : Be ready for disappointment as your desired motor may be sold to someone else and select a few back-ups. Be realistic: Realise that there won't be a "perfect" car at an auction and adjust expectations accordingly. Set a budget : It is easy to overspend in the heat of the moment during bidding. Ensure you have set a budget and do not go over it. Key phrases to look out for: 'No major mechanical faults' – suggests that there shouldn't be any issues with the car's drivetrain, gearbox, suspension, or engine. 'Specified faults' – the auctioneer will read out specific faults. 'Sold as seen' – the vehicle is sold with any problems it may have. The auction company will rarely entertain complaints regarding the mechanical or cosmetic condition of these vehicles after sale. 'Sold with a warranted mileage' - The car is being offered based on the report, which confirms the mileage through an independent check. Deliveries are earmarked to begin between October and the end of the year. Advertisement Additional Geely models are set to follow in 2026. The move comes as the brand attempts to tap new markets for rapid growth. They have set out to add more than 300 non-Chinese dealers and service centres to their global portfolio by the end of the year. Geely sold nearly 2.2 million cars last year, which is up 34% compared from 2024. Advertisement More car brands An iconic Meanwhile, another And a 2 The brand will open a standalone dealership network in the UK (stock image) Credit: Getty Advertisement
Auto Car
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Volvo CEO: long-range PHEVs could come to Europe
The XC70 is described as slightly larger than the XC60 and looks essentially like a downscaled XC90, but rather than being a close technical relation of that car, it is based on a new architecture designed specifically for range-extended electric vehicles (REXs). The Scalable Modular Architecture, or SMA, is said to be "a premium extended-range plug-in hybrid architecture", but no details of its relationship to Volvo's other platforms – or indeed those from the wider Geely group, of which Volvo is a part – have been given. Geely-owned sibling company Lotus is also investing in extended-range hybrids over the coming years in response to lower than anticipated demand for pure-electric luxury cars, and Coventry-based LEVC (also owned by Geely) has been using an REx powertrain in its Volvo-engined TX taxi since 2017. However, while those two firms are using combustion engines as a generator to top up a traction battery, Volvo's new XC70 is a more conventional plug-in hybrid. Nonetheless, the XC70 will help the firm cater to huge demand for extended-range hybrids in China, and its announcement follows the recent unveiling of the new China-oriented Volkswagen ID Era range-extender concept at the Shanghai motor show. That car – similar in size to the XC70 – has been engineered in partnership with MG owner SAIC to target the burgeoning market for RExs in China, with companies like Li Auto, Leapmotor and Avatr among the biggest players. However, like Volvo, Volkswagen's sales and marketing boss told Autocar that a global launch was not off the table: "Range-extenders today are already a very big thing in China. They will be of relevance in North America and we are convinced they will also have relevance in Europe." The XC70 has an especially important role to play for Volvo as the company embarks on a wide-reaching global cost-cutting drive in response to industry "turbulence" and a "challenging external environment". Even amid that turbulence, Volvo said it "remains firm on its ambition of becoming a fully electric car company", but just a fifth of its sales in the first quarter of 2025 were electric, and it said "premium plug-in hybrids provide a pragmatic bridge for customers not yet ready to switch". The XC70 name has been dormant since 2016, when the off-road version of the third-generation V70 estate was taken off sale. It was originally called the V70 XC, with 'XC' standing for 'Cross Country'.
