The age of the electric car, once thought to be impossible or, at best, a very distant future looks to be right around the corner. While there have been electric vehicles around for quite some time, they were oddities. Even the launch of Tesla, now probably the most significant player in the EV market, back in 2003, hadn't convinced the world that the electric revolution was upon us. Now, though, it is in full swing.
Tesla has expanded beyond the exciting but not exceptionally high selling 1st generation Roadster. Traditional car companies, established industry giants like BMW, Honda, and Land Rover, continue rolling out new electric offerings alongside their conventional internal combustion models. Joining these brands is Geometry, a new marque from Geely, the Chinese automotive company.
Geometry, known in China as Jihe, will be aimed primarily at the Chinese market to create a full line of electric vehicles, including everything from sedans to SUVs. The brand is already up and running with two models on the market, and the plan is to expand that dramatically very soon.
Here's what to know and what to expect in the next few years from Geely's new EV marque.
Geometry Isn't Geely's First Foray Into EVs
While the name Geely may not be familiar to many American consumers, its presence in the automotive market is impressive. Founded in China, the company has been quite successful internationally in the 35 years it has been around. In addition to producing their own cars under the Geely Auto brand, the Geely Holding Group owns a number of European and Asian car manufacturers such as Lotus and Proton.
One of their subsidiaries is Volvo, a company leading the charge in the EV market. The Swedish brand is offering a number of electric cars, like the XC40 Recharge. It has also set the ambitious goal of eliminating all sales of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles by 2025. The plan is for purely electric-powered cars to make up half of all sales by that date, with hybrid models making up the other half. By 2030, Volvo aims to produce EVs exclusively.
Volvo isn't Geely's only prior venture into EVs. The Chinese company also owns the London EV Company. LEVC is the maker of the famous London black cab, which has recently gone all-electric. The Geely subsidiary has also recently expanded its line to include an electric van.
Given these previous electric endeavors, Geely's commitment to the EV future seems serious. The new Geometry brand isn't just an experiment, and Geely can be expected to stick with its plans for the rollout of an entire line of Geometry EVs.
The Geometry Brand So Far
So far, two Geometry models are available. The first model launched by the brand, the Geometry A, is a sleek electric sedan. The second and latest model is the Geometry C, a crossover with slick, modern styling. Both are based on existing Geely Auto platforms, and both are offered with a choice of two batteries, one offering more range than the other.
The A is based on the Geely Auto Emgrand GL compact sedan. The smaller of the two available battery options offer 51.9 kWh of energy, while the larger boasts 61.9 kWh. Geely promises a range of 500 km (about 310 miles) from the 61.9 kWh battery. The electric powertrain puts out 161 hp and 184 ft-lb of torque, enough to propel the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just under 9 seconds.
The C uses the Geely Auto Emgrand GS compact crossover as its base. The batteries offered in the C are slightly higher capacity than those of the A. The 53 kWh model has a range of 400 km (just under 250 miles), and the larger 70 kWh version boasts a range of 550 km (just over 340 miles). The front-wheel-drive car has a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph) thanks to the electric motor's 200 hp.
What's Next From Geometry
Geely plans to unveil eight more models under the Geometry brand by 2025 for a lineup of 10 EVs. Models will span from the current offerings of sedans and crossovers to SUVs and minivans. We can imagine that Geometry models will continue using Geely Auto platforms as the parent company aims, according to Reuters, to use the new EV brand to help propel it to a place in the top ten automotive groups in the world.
Geometry has also teased a new version of the A, called the Pro. First revealed in February, the Pro will have 25% more horsepower and torque on tap than the standard model. The range will also be extended to 600 km (about 370 miles).
While the focus remains on the Chinese market, it's clear that the EV revolution is a global one, and Geely aims to capitalize on this by selling internationally. Reuters reports that Singapore will be a target market in the days to come.