12 hours ago
10
Geely's second new car in Australia will be a plug-in hybrid family SUV pitched at a growing field of Chinese rivals from BYD, MG, Chery, Jaecoo, and more.
The second modern-era vehicle from the master Geely brand in Australia – the 2026 Geely Starray EM-i – has been locked in for local showrooms in the final three months of this year.
The Starray EM-i – sold in China as the Galaxy Starship 7 – is a five-seat plug-in hybrid SUV aimed at the likes of the BYD Sealion 6, MG HS Super Hybrid, and a fleet of other new Chinese hybrids.
It is a lengthened version of the EX5 electric SUV launched by Geely earlier this year, similar in width, height, and the distance between the front and rear wheels, but 125mm longer nose to tail.
Prices are yet to be confirmed. The flagship variant in China is listed for 130,800 yuan ($AU29,000), compared to 143,800 yuan ($AU32,000) for a top-of-the-range EX5.
If that price difference applies in Australia, the Starray could start from $37,000 before on-road costs, vastly undercutting nearly all key rivals bar the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid, with which it's on par ($39,990 drive-away, or about $37,000 plus on-roads).
The Starray combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine (73kW/125Nm) with a 160kW/262Nm electric motor for 193kW combined, sent to the front wheels.
Australian models will fit a 18.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, slightly smaller than the 19.1kWh pack offered in China, where a 120km electric-only range in Chinese CLTC testing is claimed.
Chinese models also claim up to 1420km of driving range in hybrid mode, and fuel consumption of 3.75 litres per 100 kilometres, though lab testing in Geely's home market is not as stringent as that in Australia.
Vehicle-to-load technology allows external electrical devices to be powered at up to 3.3kW.
More details of the 2026 Geely Starray EM-i are due closer to its Australian arrival in the fourth quarter of this year (October to December 2025).
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
