2026 Geely EX5: Switches to RWD, Adds LiDAR, Up to 329 hp and 635 km From $14,400

Geely officially launched the updated Galaxy E5 in China on September 23, 2026, with pricing confirmed the following day, and this is far more than a cosmetic refresh. The brand's best-selling electric SUV — sold internationally as the EX5 — switches its primary layout from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, adopts an 800-volt architecture on four of its five trims, and adds roof-mounted LiDAR for the first time. Limited-time introductory prices run from 97,800 to 137,800 yuan (about $14,400 to $20,300), undercutting the outgoing model's own official range despite the jump in power. Official, non-promotional guide prices sit at 107,800 to 147,800 yuan. With a rear motor now rated at 245 kW (329 hp) versus the old car's 160 kW (215 hp) front motor, Geely is marketing this as a 114 hp power boost, and the numbers hold up under scrutiny. This is a genuinely new-generation car wearing a familiar name, aimed squarely at budget-conscious buyers who still want flagship driver-assistance hardware.

Performance & Specs

Four of the five Galaxy E5 trims now use a single rear-mounted "Thunder 16-in-1" motor producing 245 kW (333 PS / 329 hp) and 320 Nm of torque, driving the rear wheels through an 800-volt electrical architecture. Geely quotes 0-100 km/h in as little as 5.8 seconds and a 201 km/h top speed for these trims, a significant jump from the outgoing FWD car's 6.9 seconds and 180 km/h. The fifth, entry-level "530km Global Classic" trim carries over the previous generation's 160 kW (215 hp) front motor, 320 Nm of torque, and 400-volt electrical system, keeping the cheapest configuration front-wheel drive. There is no all-wheel-drive option across the five-trim lineup — Geely has gone all-in on a single-motor RWD setup for the bulk of the range rather than adding a dual-motor flagship, which keeps costs down but means buyers wanting AWD traction will need to look elsewhere in the Galaxy lineup.

Powertrain	Single-motor RWD BEV
Power	245 kW (333 PS / 329 hp)
Torque	320 Nm
0–100 km/h	5.8 s
Battery	70.01 kWh LFP
Range	635 km CLTC

POWERTRAIN TYPE	BEV
HORSEPOWER	Up to 329 hp (245 kW)
ACCELERATION	5.8 s (0-100 km/h, RWD trims)
TOP SPEED	201 km/h (RWD trims)
DRIVETRAIN	FWD (entry trim) / RWD (four Smart Charging trims)
BATTERY	60.22 – 70.01 kWh LFP
ELECTRIC RANGE	Up to 635 km (CLTC)
COMBINED RANGE	— (pure BEV)

Dimensions & Practicality

Length	4,630 mm
Width	1,920 mm
Height	1,670 mm
Wheelbase	2,750 mm
Ground clearance	— (not published)

Overall length grows by around 15-20 mm versus the outgoing car to 4,630 mm, while width, height, and the 2,750 mm wheelbase are essentially unchanged, so cabin space should carry over. The bigger practicality story is under the hood: switching to a rear motor freed up space for a 160-litre front trunk, something the previous front-motor car couldn't offer. With the rear seats folded, Geely quotes 1,838 litres of total cargo volume. The five-seat cabin uses synthetic leather trim with soft-touch surfaces on higher grades, and Geely offers a choice of 18-inch or 19-inch alloy wheels depending on trim.

LENGTH	4,630 mm
WIDTH	1,920 mm
HEIGHT	1,670 mm
WHEELBASE	2,750 mm
CARGO VOLUME	1,838 L (seats folded)
FRUNK	160 L

Charging & Battery

The four RWD Smart Charging trims share Geely's new second-generation Aegis Golden Brick short-blade LFP battery on an 800-volt architecture, available in 61.52 kWh (550 km CLTC) or 70.01 kWh (635 km CLTC) capacities. Peak DC charging tops out at 460 kW thanks to a 6C charge rate, which Geely says is good for a 10-70% top-up in roughly 8 minutes 25 seconds — among the fastest charge times in this price class. The entry-level FWD trim sticks with a 60.22 kWh LFP pack on the older 400-volt system and a much more modest DC charging rate, so buyers chasing the headline charging speed need to step up to a Smart Charging trim. AC charging across the range tops out around 6.6 kW. On paper, energy consumption works out to roughly 11-11.4 kWh per 100 km across all three battery sizes, a consistent, plausible figure for a compact CLTC-rated electric SUV.

BATTERY	60.22 kWh (FWD) / 61.52 & 70.01 kWh (RWD), all LFP
AC CHARGING	6.6 kW
DC FAST CHARGING	Up to 460 kW (6C, RWD trims)
DC 10-70% TIME	~8.4 min (RWD trims)

Design & Interior

Geely kept the Galaxy E5's overall silhouette but sharpened the details for this update: a revised front fascia, a subtly reshaped bumper, and new wheel designs distinguish it from the outgoing car at a glance, while the roofline now houses the LiDAR pod on the top trim rather than leaving a clean, sensor-free profile. Inside, the dashboard is dominated by the 15.4-inch 2.5K central touchscreen running Geely's Flyme Auto 2 software, paired with a 10.2-inch digital driver display ahead of the wheel. Seats are trimmed in synthetic leather with soft-touch material spread across the dash and door panels, and higher grades add powered, heated, ventilated front seats. The approach and departure angles are quoted at 16 and 20 degrees respectively, modest but typical for a road-focused compact crossover rather than anything with off-road pretensions. Geely's own claim of 36,000 N·m/deg of torsional rigidity for the body structure is meant to underline a stiffer, quieter shell than the outgoing model, though independent verification of that figure isn't yet available.

Technology & Features

The headline addition is the roof-mounted LiDAR unit, paired with side cameras mounted on the front fenders and a camera in the tailgate spoiler, feeding Geely's G-Pilot H5 (also referred to as Qianli Haohan H5) intelligent-driving system. On the range-topping 635km Smart Charging LiDAR trim, this enables Navigate on Autopilot on both highways and in city traffic, plus memory parking and what Geely calls "fingertip parking." Every other trim relies on a camera-and-radar-only ADAS suite without the LiDAR hardware, so the most advanced driving-assist features are effectively a single-trim exclusive for now. The Flyme Auto 2 cockpit software supports over-the-air updates and a voice assistant, continuing the "Hello Geely" branding used on earlier Galaxy and EX5 models sold overseas.

Safety & ADAS

Every trim carries a Level 2+ driver-assistance suite with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera; the top LiDAR trim adds highway and urban NOA on top of that baseline. Geely is also marketing a new "all-scenario tyre blowout stabilisation system," claimed to keep the car tracking straight at up to 160 km/h and holding a curve at up to 120 km/h after a sudden tyre failure — a feature aimed squarely at highway safety scores rather than a everyday convenience item. The claimed 36,000 N·m/deg torsional rigidity figure is also cited by Geely as a structural safety improvement over the outgoing generation.

ADAS LEVEL	L2+ (L2+ with highway/urban NOA on LiDAR trim)
ADAS FEATURES	AEB, ACC, LKA, BSM, 360° camera, tyre blowout stabilisation, LiDAR-based NOA (top trim)

Available Versions

VERSION	POWER	TORQUE	0-100	TOP SPEED	DRIVETRAIN	BATTERY	EV RANGE	COMBINED RANGE	PRICE	KEY DIFFERENCES
530km Global Classic	215 hp	320 Nm	6.9s	180 km/h	FWD	60.22 kWh	530 km	—	$14,400	Entry trim; carries over previous-gen FWD motor, 400V system, no LiDAR
550km Smart Charging Voyage	329 hp	320 Nm	5.8s	201 km/h	RWD	61.52 kWh	550 km	—	$15,900	Cheapest entry into the new RWD/800V/6C-charging platform
550km Smart Charging Exploration	329 hp	320 Nm	5.8s	201 km/h	RWD	61.52 kWh	550 km	—	$17,000	Adds comfort and convenience equipment over Voyage; same powertrain
635km Smart Charging Exploration+	329 hp	320 Nm	5.8s	201 km/h	RWD	70.01 kWh	635 km	—	$18,500	Steps up to the larger 70.01 kWh pack for 635 km CLTC range
635km Smart Charging LiDAR	329 hp	320 Nm	5.8s	201 km/h	RWD	70.01 kWh	635 km	—	$20,300	Range-topper; adds roof LiDAR and G-Pilot H5 highway/urban NOA

Pricing & Availability

Geely revealed the restyled Galaxy E5 on September 23, 2026, and confirmed pricing the next day: five trims at limited-time introductory prices of 97,800 to 137,800 yuan (about $14,400 to $20,300), with official, non-promotional guide prices set at 107,800 to 147,800 yuan (about $15,900 to $21,700). Notably, this undercuts the outgoing generation's own official price ladder, which ran from 109,800 to 179,800 yuan, even though the new car is faster, charges quicker, and offers more range on its top trims. As of September 2026, the updated Galaxy E5 is confirmed on sale only in China; Geely has not announced international pricing or launch dates for this specific RWD/LiDAR generation.

How It Compares

Against the entry-level BYD Yuan Up, the new EX5's base FWD trim costs about the same but doubles the power and adds nearly 230 km of range, making the Yuan Up look dated by comparison at a similar price point. Higher up, the EX5's range-topping LiDAR trim lines up almost exactly on price with the BYD Yuan Plus / Atto 3 and the XPENG Mona L03, but out-powers both by well over 100 hp thanks to its 329 hp rear motor, while matching or beating their range figures. Neither rival offers LiDAR or highway/urban NOA at this price tier, which is where the EX5's new top trim stakes its clearest claim: it's bringing driver-assistance hardware that, until recently, only showed up on cars costing considerably more.