A SMALLER CHINESE TAKEAWAY (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Chinese maker Geely enters the supermini EV segment with this EX2. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 64

Geely's EX2 offers yet another option for someone in search of a budget EV hatch, with value as its over-riding trump card - though perhaps not quite as much value as we'd hoped. Still, though one of the less charismatic class options, it's spacious, well-equipped and fast-charging. So there's lots you might be tempted by here, but you'll need to know what you're getting.

Backgroundword count: 135

So what might the best-selling car in China be like? This Geely EX2 will tell us because this supermini-shaped EV sold 460,000 units in its home Oriental market in 2005 and has high hopes for success in Europe - and Britain in particular. It has a rather less snappy model name in China - the Geome Xingyuan; and a simpler one in Europe - the E2. But either way, the recipe is the same - a value-based rear-driven small electric hatch aimed at the heart of the budget EV segment. Whose success will be pivotal if Geely is to reach its goal of selling 100,000 cars a year in the UK market by 2030 - by which time the EX2 will be one of ten models in the Geely line-up. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 265

A rear-driven format is still a little unusual for a small hatch of this size, despite the way that the VW Group and MG have championed it. Yet that's what this EX2 has - a side benefit of which is a London taxi-like turning circle around town. There are two battery sizes, but almost all EX2 customers will ignore the base 35kWh 'Pro' version - rightly because it has a feeble 80bhp motor and takes you just 155 miles between charges. Focus instead on the 'Max' and 'Ultra' models, which use a 47kWh battery that energises a 114bhp motor and takes you up to 214 miles between charges. That's if you engage the most frugal of the provided drive modes - Eco; the others are Comfort, Sport and Snow. You might hope that another advantage of the rear-driven drive format would be slightly more engaging drive dynamics, here apparently tuned (at least to some extent) by fellow Geely brand Lotus. We've heard that before on larger uninspiring Geely models but in this case, there is at least some evidence of Hethel's input in the precise (if relatively lifeless) steering, the grip from the decent-quality Yokohama tyres and the well-judged ride quality. There are four selectable brake regen levels - Low and High - but no fierce 'one-pedal'-style setting. 0-62mph with the 47kWh is supposed to take 11.5s, but the EX2 doesn't feel that fast and top speed is pegged to just 81mph. Which you could live with if at cruising speeds, there wasn't constant binging and bonging from all the various DAS drive assist 'aids'.

To see the full road test text contact us on 0330 0020 227