Geely Ireland launch confirmed with three models for 2027

Errr, hang on, wasn’t Geely already operating in the Irish market?

Virtually so, yes. You see, Geely owns both Volvo and Polestar (and Lotus too) so technically, it has had a long presence in the Irish market already, albeit at one remove. Now, though, Geely is coming here as a brand in its own right, and is setting up its own Irish operations, separate from those of Volvo and Polestar.

Only electric Geelys coming here?

Almost. Geely will launch in Ireland with three models initially, which it will begin previewing for Irish buyers this week, and which will then go properly on sale in the early part of 2027. Those cars are the compact Geely E2 city car (a rival to the likes of the Hyundai Inster and Leapmotor T03), with a range of up to 300km. Then there’s the Geely EX5 electric SUV, which will rival the Skoda Elroq and the Kia EV3, and which has a top range of 450km. Finally, there’s the Geely Starray EM-i, a mid-sized plug-in hybrid which will rival the Hyundai Tucson and VW Tiguan. It boasts an electric-only range of up to 134km, depending on the model.

Rapid brand expansion ahead, we presume?

Exactly. Geely has already announced the Monjaro EM-i plug-in hybrid, which will rival the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq and maybe even some premium-badge models, and Geely has other brands within its armoury, including Zeekr and Lynk & Co, which may also form part of the picture in due course. Neither has been confirmed for Ireland yet, but stay tuned.

Can’t confirm those yet, right?

Unfortunately not, but stay tuned. In the meantime, Geely is busy setting up its Irish operations, with a HQ in Citywest, just outside Dublin. The brand will be headed up here by Phil Eaglesfield, who will act as Chief Commercial Officer. He said: “Ireland is a dynamic and forward-looking market, making it a natural next step in Geely Auto’s international growth journey. Our ambition is to bring Irish motorists a fresh alternative, combining cutting-edge technology, outstanding value and a customer experience that exceeds expectations. We are excited to begin laying the foundations for a long-term future in Ireland. With a dedicated local team, a new headquarters and plans for a nationwide retail network, this is just the start of our journey.”

Numbers mean everything - what are Geelys like?

This is a big brand, with 3,024,567 cars sold worldwide last year, a 39 per cent year-on-year increase. Geely pitched up in 13 new markets last year, from the UK, Italy, and Brazil to South Africa and into the Middle East. It has a plan called Five By Five, which encompasses five global design centres, five R&D centres, five testing clusters, five powertrain pathways (those are highly efficient combustion engines; battery electric vehicles; hybrids and plug-in hybrids; methanol fuel; and battery swapping tech) and five AI ecosystems, which Geely says will “accelerate innovation and support the transition to smarter, more sustainable mobility.”

See our related content: Geely reviews.