Views: 300 Author: SHY-AUTO Publish Time: 2024-08-19 Origin: SHY-AUTO
On August 3, Geely Galaxy E5 was launched as scheduled. The new car launched five versions with a limited-time preferential price of 109,800-145,800 yuan. Obviously, this price is more than 10,000 yuan lower than the previously announced presale price of 123,000-157,000 yuan, which further highlights Geely's determination to create a popular model in the pure electric compact SUV market.
In fact, the current pure electric compact SUV market has already shown signs of intense competition, with both joint ventures and domestic automakers vying for this broader segment of consumers. However, under the pressure of intense competition, not many models have maintained consistently strong sales over the long term. Among them, BYD Yuan PLUS and Song PLUS EV have combined their strengths to dominate the sales rankings for a long time, becoming star models in this segment.
With a starting price in the 110,000 yuan range, Geely Galaxy E5 has entered the pure electric compact SUV market with the aim of breaking through BYD's competitive pressure and securing a foothold in this segment. So, does Geely Galaxy E5 have the strength to breach BYD's stronghold?
Firstly, in terms of pricing, the starting price of Geely Galaxy E5 is lower than that of BYD Yuan PLUS, which indeed provides a certain level of competitiveness. However, it is clearly not a wise move to discuss pricing without considering the product itself. Next, let's take a closer look at the product capabilities of Geely Galaxy E5.
As a compact SUV, Geely Galaxy E5 boasts dimensions of 461519011670mm and a wheelbase of 2750mm. This size and wheelbase fall neatly between BYD Yuan PLUS and Song PLUS, adhering to a relatively conventional design.
In terms of range, Geely Galaxy E5 offers two versions with 440km and 530km of driving range, which is broadly consistent with BYD Yuan PLUS and Song PLUS EV models. In terms of battery technology, Geely Galaxy E5 is equipped with its self-developed Shendun Dagger-shaped battery, while both BYD models utilize Blade Batteries. For comparison, the Shendun Dagger-shaped battery measures 580mm in length and has an energy density of 192Wh/kg. In contrast, the Blade Batteries typically used in BYD's pure electric vehicles are 960mm in length and have an energy density of 180Wh/kg.
Additionally, in the areas of smart cabin and autonomous driving, which are of great concern to consumers today, Geely Galaxy E5 is equipped with a 15.4-inch central control display featuring the Flyme Auto in-car intelligent system. The vehicle's infotainment system utilizes the domestically produced first automotive-grade 7nm chip, Longying 1, which differs from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip found in the Galaxy E8. In terms of autonomous driving, Galaxy E5 only offers full-speed adaptive cruise control and L2-level advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) from the second-highest trim level onwards, while the two lower trim levels offer these features as optional extras.
In contrast, BYD Yuan PLUS offers two range versions of 430km and 510km. Apart from the entry-level model, all other versions come standard with full-speed adaptive cruise control and L2-level ADAS. This means that BYD Yuan PLUS equips its 126,800 yuan-level models with L2-level ADAS, while Geely Galaxy E5 offers this feature only on models priced at 138,800 yuan and above.
In terms of other comfort features, Geely Galaxy E5 employs leather-like seats equipped with heating and ventilation functions. It also comes with practical amenities such as a leather steering wheel, wireless phone charging, automatic air conditioning, and rear seat air vents. Overall, Geely Galaxy E5's performance in terms of comfort configurations is roughly on par with that of BYD Yuan PLUS.
Taking into account the overall product capabilities of Geely Galaxy E5, its performance is relatively stable without any notable shortcomings. However, when compared to BYD's two models, Yuan PLUS and Song PLUS EV, it does not exhibit significant advantages, and even lags behind in certain key areas such as battery cell brand and autonomous driving technology. Based on such product performance, it is unlikely that Galaxy E5 will pose a significant threat to BYD upon its launch, as initially anticipated.
Indeed, when it comes to new energy vehicle (NEV) sales, while Geely Automobile's NEV offerings have demonstrated advantages over most other brands, there is still a significant gap compared to BYD. Taking July sales as an example, Geely Automobile sold a total of 150,000 vehicles, of which 59,000 were NEVs, accounting for approximately 40% of total sales. In contrast, BYD once again surpassed the 300,000 sales mark in July, reaching 342,000 vehicles, and continued its impressive growth trajectory with a year-on-year increase of 30.5%.
Sales volume serves as a testament to a brand's reputation and popularity. Given BYD's outstanding performance, it is evident that its star products in the compact SUV segment, Yuan PLUS and Song PLUS, enjoy a dominant position in their respective sub-markets that is difficult to displace. Therefore, it will not be an easy task for Geely Galaxy E5 to gain more initiative in the pure electric compact SUV segment.
