The Tesla Model Y was unsurprisingly Australia’s best-selling electric vehicle (EV) in May, but a surprising new nameplate claimed third place.
Another mid-size electric SUV, the Geely EX5 notched up 511 deliveries in May, placing it behind only the Kia EV5 (703 deliveries) and Model Y, which found a whopping 3580 new homes.
Not only did the new Chinese electric SUV, launched earlier this year, surpass the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan (317) – typically Australia’s second best-selling EV – it also managed to outsell a raft of other popular EVs.
The EX5 narrowly beat the similarly new BYD Sealion 7 mid-size SUV (488), and there was significant daylight between it and BYD’s Seal sedan (355), Dolphin hatch (345) and Atto 3 medium SUV (322), as well as the MG 4 hatch (319).
Last month the EX5 even managed to outsell various combustion-powered mid-size SUVs such as the MG HS (277) and Honda CR-V (494).
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To the end of May, Geely has delivered 1023 examples of its EX5 this year. It’s still behind the rival Sealion 7 (1961), of which first deliveries were recorded a month earlier than the EX5’s in February, and just below the Atto 3 (1278).
It’s also being outsold by the Model Y (6974) and Model 3 (2583), while the Kia EV5 is continuing to sell strongly since launching last year and is sitting at 2212 deliveries year-to-date.
But the EX5 has swiftly dispatched fellow Chinese rivals like the Leapmotor C10, of which 178 electric versions have been delivered so far this year.
Deepal has recorded only 67 deliveries of its S07 thus far this year, but there’s a caveat here – the auto brand only started reporting its sales figures in monthly VFACTS reports in May, despite first customer deliveries commencing last December.
The EX5 is sharply priced, starting at $40,990 before on-road costs, but Geely is further sweetening the pot with various end of financial year (EOFY) incentives.
It’s now available with a 3.88 per cent finance comparison rate, while Geely is offering either a $2000 gift card or five years of complimentary scheduled servicing until June 30, 2025.
Additionally, those who buy an EX5 before June 30 will receive a complimentary mode 2 charging cable, and Geely is also offering a $2000 trade-in bonus.
Geely is far from the only brand extending sharp EOFY deals. Deepal, for example, is offering its S07 for $49,990 drive-away until June 30, a saving of around $8000 when comparing drive-away prices in New South Wales.
But Geely is moving quickly to establish itself in Australia, having previously confirmed it plans to have over 20 dealerships in Australia by mid-year and planning to launch more than six new models over the next three years.
They are expected to include a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sibling to the EX5, which has already been spied testing in Australia.
Geely already had a presence in Australia before relaunching its namesake brand nationwide this year (some Geely models were previously available via an independent importer in Western Australia) , as the Chinese automaker also owns brands including Lotus, Polestar, Volvo and Zeekr.
MORE: Everything Geely EX5
