UPON collecting the Geely E5 to spend a week with, ahead of hotly contested 2026 Local Government Elections, recently, to my surprise there was no spare-tyre available.
But again it hit me, what if it’s not part of the package?
The boot capacity stands at 461 litres with the seats up, which is one of the more spacious in the segment- interestingly that’s where the home charge was stored.
With my mind playing itself out already, decided to focus on to what was before me and see how it performs considering most of automotives are now going EVs.
It is significantly bigger in almost every department -from the wheelbase of 2 750 mm, to impressive cabin space to leg- and headroom for rear passengers, etc.
Interestingly, the E5 is available as a plug-in hybrid or a battery-electric model- I tested the latter, and most of the on-lookers we hooked on the protruding door-handles that are aerodynamically friendlier.
It comes with upmarket 19-inch alloy wheels- that gives it a premium feel.
At first glance, the cabin looks open and inviting with enormous, vibrant infotainment screen; wireless charging pad USB ports.
The infotainment system comes with user experience, clarity and responsiveness which for me, stood out.
The uniquely-styled steering might not be your cup of tea, but if you take the time to adjust the rake and reach, as well as your seating position, a near-perfect driving position is possible, it brings a mature and refined driving experience.
E5 also supports over-the-air updates, wireless Android Auto and some other enhancements, including the system allowing for 3rd-party apps like Spotify to be installed. While most of the functionality is reserved for the screen, you can use the rotary dial and favourites button on the wheel for shortcuts.
It adds a powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, front massage seats (my partner enjoyed that), heated seats, a head-up display, an impressive 16-speaker audio system and ADAS suite.
As I took off to Krugersdorp, on safety aspect- Geely E5 is well balanced, thanks to scoring 5 stars in both Euro NCAP and ANCAP (Australia) crash testing, bolstered by the ADAS suite that is comprehensive, offering adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward collision alert, autonomous emergency braking and more.
Yes, the safety rating is impressive and negotiating those hills and mountains- proved seamless.
It comes with a single electric motor driving- the front wheels via an automatic gearbox- making it a fair 160 kW and 320 Nm and, after activating its sportiest drivetrain mode, the E5 claimed 100 kph in 7.73 seconds- when coming to performance and efficiency.
Talk of performance-with fully charged range battery of 362kwh- it gives you 420 km of driving, dependent on your acceleration, since I had to use home charge I had to plan my movement. The charging port is in the most convenient location, just behind the right front wheel.
E5 supports both AC (11 kW) and DC (100 kW) options, respectively.
The prices below include a 6-year/120 000 km service plan, 6-year/150 000 km vehicle warranty and an 8-year/200 000 km battery pack warranty.
A complimentary home wallbox is included as well as R10 000 in free public charging.
| Geely E5 Aspire | R699 999 |
| Geely E5 Apex | R759 999 |
| Geely E5 Apex Plus | R788 888 |
When connected to a 100 kW DC fast charger, the electric Geely E5 can charge from 30% to 80% in approximately 20 minutes. Using an 11 kW AC home wallbox charger, a full charge from 10% to 100% takes about 6 to 7 hours.
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (7)
EV 1-10 (7)
Image SLM ( The Geely E5 is well balanced, thanks to scoring 5 stars in both Euro NCAP and ANCAP crash testing.)
