Chinese automaker Geely is going to enter the Israeli market by the end of the year and bring the first fully electric vehicle to the local market.
The Geometry C will be launched during the fourth quarter of the year, after it was found compliant with European Union standards, receiving the WVTA certification recognized by Israel.
The car can travel as far as 460 km. on one charge, equivalent to the length of the State of Israel, the longest of any electric vehicle in the country. The price has not been set yet, but in China, prices for various models run from $20,000 to $28,000.
Israel will be the first Western market where Geely cars will be available, a testament to the company’s confidence in the local economy.
Interest in electric cars has spiked in Israel since Tesla launched here in February, and other EVs are expected to be marketed locally in the coming years. Reports in the Hebrew press say that American Karma Automotive, which makes luxury electric cars, is also on the way to Israel shortly, to be marketed by Metro Motors.
The Chinese car will be marketed locally by the Union Motors Group. At the beginning of June, a team from Geely visited Israel for a month and a half to meet with Union’s sales and service teams as well as potential institutional customers, along with conducting technical tests and training.
The Geely Geometry C is a family crossover vehicle with a 4.43-meter length and a 2.7-m. wheelbase. It will be equipped with an advanced electric motor with a maximum of 204 horsepower, accelerating to 100 km. in 6.9 seconds. The fast-charging batteries come with a capacity of 53 kW or 70 kW.
Geely (pronounced Jeely) is the parent company of Volvo and sells cars under the brands Lotus, Lynk & Co. and Proton.
The multinational company is owned by Chinese billionaire business magnate Li Shufu and is headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
The company also manages satellites providing mobility services like Internet of vehicles and autonomous driving functions, and recently launched a satellite project to help environmental agencies identify various types of marine waste and pollution in order to help protect marine life.