Geely goes long: extended range EX5 and Starray both landing in NZ

Geely is rolling out bigger batteries across its New Zealand range, with the extended range EX5 now open for pre-order and the extended range Starray EM-i arriving this month, and an all-wheel drive Starray coming close behind.

Dane Fisher, who heads Geely distributor NordEast, confirmed the arrivals to us this week, ahead of official announcements expected within days.

EX5: 450km for $56,990

The EX5 Inspire Extended Range replaces the standard Inspire at the top of the electric SUV’s two-model line-up, priced from $56,990 plus on-road costs, a $3,000 step up from the outgoing car. A 68kWh version of Geely’s Aegis Short Blade LFP battery replaces the previous 60kWh pack, lifting WLTP range from 410km to 450km.

“EX5’s now got extended range, so over 450 kilometre range,” says Fisher.

The arrival comes sooner than signalled. In March we reported that New Zealand buyers could be waiting until late 2026 for the bigger battery, with Australia served first.

The entry EX5 Complete continues at $49,990 with the 60kWh battery and a 430km rating, and pricing has actually dropped since launch, when the Complete opened at $51,990 and the Inspire at $55,990 with a smaller battery. The drivetrain is unchanged, a 160kW/320Nm motor driving the front wheels, with DC charging at up to 100kW. Over the Complete, the Inspire Extended Range adds a head-up display, 16-speaker Flyme Sound system, ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Starray: 136km EV-only, and AWD is coming

The plug-in hybrid Starray EM-i gets the same treatment. “Starray is now arriving this month with extended range. So that now goes to 136 kilometre EV only and 996 combined,” says Fisher.

The flagship Inspire becomes the Inspire Extended Range, swapping its 18.4kWh battery for a 29.8kWh pack. Electric-only range climbs from 83km to 136km on the WLTP cycle, enough to cover most Kiwi commutes for days between charges, while combined range rises from 943km to 996km. DC fast charging doubles from 30kW to 60kW, cutting a 30 to 80% charge to a claimed 16 minutes, and combined fuel consumption drops from 2.4L/100km to 1.4L/100km. The entry Complete retains the smaller battery.

The all-wheel drive version is the fresh news, having featured in no Australian or New Zealand announcements to date. Fisher says it is “not far away” and sees it opening new territory. “Getting a mid-size SUV with 136 kilometre range, a thousand kilometres combined, with four-wheel drive starts really opening up new opportunities for us,” he says.

New Zealand pricing for the extended range Starray is yet to be announced. It launched here last November at $45,990 for the Complete and $49,490 for the Inspire, and the bigger battery carries a $1,500 premium in Australia, where it arrived in May.

A brand in a hurry

The twin updates cap a rapid few weeks for Geely locally. Pricing for the EX2 small hatch was confirmed this week at $32,990, and Fisher says the wider NordEast operation, which also spans Zeekr, Farizon, Volvo, Polestar and Lotus, is running ahead of its own targets. “The growth is much faster than we thought. I said by 2028 we’ll sell 5,000 electrified vehicles. I think that’s going to come forward,” he says.

Both models carry Geely’s seven-year unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and eight-year high-voltage battery warranty, and both arrivals fall within Geely’s promotion bundling three years of free home charging and an Evnex charger with purchases until 30 September.