Geely is trialling a wild new manoeuvring trick on the EX5, the electric crossover Malaysians know as the base for the Proton e.MAS 7, currently the country’s best-selling EV so far.
CarNewsChina reports the EX5 prototype now runs a self-developed “driving unit” with electric motors integrated into the wheels, giving each corner independent 90-degree steering.
That opens up party pieces such as turning almost on the spot, sliding sideways in a crab-walk, and nudging into tight parking spaces with less shuffling.
Geely also suggests the system could eventually be controlled remotely, first via a special glove and later through a phone or smartwatch.
It is, in other words, another clear way for Geely to set its EX5 apart from Proton’s e.MAS 7, even though the underlying hardware and packaging are closely related.
There are caveats. CarNewsChina notes the prototype appears to need enlarged rear wheel arches to accommodate the 90-degree wheel rotation, which could eat into cabin space.
It even speculates the rear seats may have been removed on the test car.
In production form, the EX5 (sold in China as the Geely Galaxy E5) sits on the GEA architecture and measures 4,615mm long with a 2,750mm wheelbase.
It uses a 160kW front motor and a 60.2kWh battery, with up to 430km WLTP range.
