Geely Auto has used the 42nd Thailand International Motor Expo to plant a firm flag in the country’s small EV segment, rolling out the new EX2 electric hatchback and quickly racking up more than 1,000 pre-orders in just three days.
The Chinese brand’s stand was all about electrification. Alongside the EX2, visitors saw the Geely EX5 all-electric SUV and the Thai debut of the Geely Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid SUV, as the company talked up a broader Southeast Asia push. The EX5 was already launched in Thailand in November last year.
In Malaysia, the Proton e.MAS 5 is effectively the twin of the EX2, while the EX5 is what the e.MAS 7 is based on. Geely models per se would not be sold in Malaysia.
The EX2 itself is pitched as a B-segment “urban EV”, designed squarely for city life rather than highway grand touring. Offered in two versions, it is priced at 399,990 baht (RM51,000) for the Pro and 429,990 baht (RM55,000) for the Max, substantially lower than the e.MAS 5.
It runs a rear-wheel drive layout paired with a multi-link rear suspension, an unusually sophisticated setup in this price and size class that’s meant to give it sharper responses and a tight turning circle for Bangkok-style traffic.
Geely is also focusing heavily on design. The EX2’s bold, modern look has already bagged a 2024 IDA Design Award as well as a Top Design nod at the 2024 European Product Design Awards, giving the newcomer some international style credentials to wave at rivals.
Inside, the focus is on space and storage. The five-seat cabin claims an 85% space utilisation rate, helped by a fully flat rear floor, so adults in the back aren’t fighting over footwells.
There are said to be 36 storage cubbies scattered around the car, plus a 70-litre front trunk, underlining that this is meant to be a practical daily tool for shopping runs, school trips and the odd weekend outing.
Geely Auto International vice president Evin Ye said the Thai launch of the EX2 and first appearance of the Starray EM-i (again Proton is using this Geely model for its upcoming e.MAS plug-in hybrid) reinforce the brand’s Southeast Asian ambitions and plug into its wider global electrification strategy.
To support that, Geely is building out its Thai footprint with local partner Thonburi Neustern, a subsidiary of the Thonburi Group.
The plan is to have around 65 sales and service outlets up and running by 2026, giving early EX2 buyers somewhere reasonably nearby to sign up, charge up and sort out after-sales issues without too much drama.
