The Geely Geome Xingyuan, which translates to something like wishing star, has been spotted undergoing hot weather testing in Turpan ahead of its launch later this year. We’re also beginning to find out more details of the car which was one of the more surprising MIIT declarations in July.
The car is being benchmarked against the BYD Dolphin and Seagull and will likely compete with these cars along with others such as the Wuling Bingo and the JAC Yiwei 3.
Although camouflaged in the spy shots, the car is clearly the same as in the declaration pictures, and it appears there are no differences in overall look. Before releasing a car, manufacturers test them in extreme temperatures. For hot weather, this usually means Turpan, a city in Xinjiang province renowned as the hottest place in China.
Reports indicate that the Xingyuan will be built on a new platform and will have independent suspension as standard. Some sources claim that battery packs will be supplied by CATL, while others claim that the car will be equipped with the new Aegis short-blade battery developed by Geely themselves. Given that the Aegis is a lithium iron phosphate battery this probably makes more sense for a car of this price bracket.
From the MIIT listings, we know that buyers have a choice between two different electric motors of 58 kW and 85 kW, respectively. These reportedly will be part of an 11-in-1 intelligence electric drive unit. Top speed for the car equipped with the 58 kW TZ160XS001 electric motor is 125 km/h and for the larger TZ160XS002 motor, 135 km/h. Ranges are expected to be between 400 and 500 km, depending on the motor power and the battery pack size. Weight for the lowest spec version equipped with the 58 kW motor is 1215 kg, while for the larger motor, the weight of the car is 1285 kg. Buyers of the lower spec version can choose between 15 and 16-inch wheels, whereas the 85KW version only comes with 16-inch wheels.
Currently, the only information known about the interior is that the Geely Geome Xingyuan will use the Flyme Auto intelligent cockpit. The car measures in at 4135, 1805, and 1570 mm, and the wheelbase is 2650 mm. Presumably, the new platform is dedicated to EVs. Geome seems to be the new name, or an alternative name, for the Geely sub-brand that was previously known as Geometry. Current models in that range, while EVs are conversions from ICE cars, the new Xingyuan seems to be a departure in that it is a car designed from scratch as an EV.
From the previous MIIT declaration pictures we can see that the Xingyuan has a new design language with quite smooth looks. There is a largely enclosed front with just a few air inlets. Two-tone paintwork gives the car a youthful look, which is further enhanced by the wheel covers, which look somewhat like gaming pad controls. Both the front and rear light clusters have a tear drop-like shape although the angle of them is quite different. One potential issue with the car is its lack of a rear windshield wiper, an item presumably omitted to save costs.
Given that MIIT has already declared the car, we can expect sales to begin before the end of the year, and prices are expected to start at around 80,000 yuan (11,100 USD).
Sources: Autohome, Fast Technology