Geely E2 and E5, these are the affordable electric SUVs that will be manufactured in Valencia

Although it was already a publicly known secret since last April, it has not been until last week that it was a publicly known secret since last April that Geely and Ford have signed a historic agreement that will allow the Chinese brand to manufacture several models at the Valencian plant in Almussafes, the factory most highly valued by the Chinese giant's top management thanks to its location, the ease of communication with the rest of Europe, and the proximity of battery manufacturing centers and other suppliers. The agreement between the two automotive giants will allow the Almussafes facilities to go from producing a single model, the Ford Kuga, to five. This is because the roadmap shared by the two companies foresees adding three new models by the end of 2028 and another already planned by the oval brand, the all-terrain Ford Bronco, which will land on the European market during 2027.Two important models in China

The first car that Geely will manufacture in Europe will be the new Geely E5, a compact SUV that is marketed in a fully electric format with a 218 HP engine and a range of 628 kilometers in urban environments (around 450 kilometers in mixed driving cycles). The Geely E5 has a fast-charging system that allows it to charge the batteries from 30% to 80% in just twenty minutes.The second Geely model to land in the Valencian Community – and which has all the makings of a sales success in Europe – will be the Geely E2, also known as the Galaxy Xingyuan in China, an electric B-segment SUV, equivalent to the European utility vehicles it will have to compete with (Renault 5, Cupra Raval and Volkswagen ID Polo). 

The Geely E2 is about 4.14 meters long, has a power of 116 HP and promises a range of 400 kilometers thanks to its 39.4 kWh batteries. In addition, this electric car can recharge its batteries from 30% to 80% in just 25 minutes at a fast charging point and offers a technological and digital interior, with an instrument cluster and a central dashboard presided over by a large 15-inch touchscreen and a 360-degree camera that facilitates maneuvers and parking.Tariffs, the keystone of Chinese investment

The main problem of the Geely E5 and E2 is their high price. The Geely E5 has a price of €39,900 (promotional discounts and institutional aid aside) and the Geely E2 does not yet have a confirmed price in our market, but everything indicates that the final price will be over €26,000. Although Geely is a proven manufacturer (it is worth remembering that it is the parent company of Volvo and inherits a large part of its mechanics and technologies), the current price range of its products, motivated by the high tariffs it has to pay, makes its cars uncompetitive in the Old Continent. In other words, to compete with a sales success like the Renault 5, it is necessary to create a product that is just as good and at a significantly lower price, a scenario that seems little less than a pipe dream with the current tariffs on Chinese cars.Geely's landing in Almussafes will allow cars manufactured at the Valencian plant, with European labor and its network of local suppliers thanks to the agreement with Ford, to bypass the 29% tariffs on Geely electric cars manufactured in China. The Geely E2 manufactured in Almussafes could have a final price of only €21,000, a real treat for European buyers.Finally, it should be noted that Geely vehicles manufactured in Almussafes will be slightly different from those manufactured in China, to adapt them to the preferences of European drivers. Firstly, Geely vehicles manufactured in Europe will modify the suspension, steering, and braking system to make them more agile, dynamic, and direct, in line with the type of cars we are accustomed to driving on the Old Continent.