The forward-thinking and self-reliant automaker Geely in China has significantly ramped up its assault on the market for electric vehicles by announcing the launch of a new brand called Galaxy, which intends to introduce seven vehicles within the next two years.
Galaxy made a spectacular debut in Hangzhou one month ago, showcasing its first production vehicle, the plug-in hybrid L7 SUV, and a technology-packed concept battery electric vehicle (BEV) called Light.
Evcentral reports that after the launch of the L7 in the second quarter of 2023 in China, the L6 sedan will hit the market in the third quarter of that year.
Full global coverage routing and driver assistance
It is believed that the E8 Light is a preview of the BEV that will be released in the fourth quarter of 2023 and called the E8.
It will be interesting to see how much of the design and technology of the Light are included in the E8. It has a super low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.19, butterfly front doors, rear-hinged rear doors, a full-length dash display, and translucent materials. There was no divulging of performance data.
However, there were references to the brand’s models having “full global coverage” for routing and driver support given by a network of 72 Geely low-orbit satellites which will all be debuted by 2025. However, plans for Galaxy beyond China have yet to be announced.
Geely is one of the most aspirational automobile manufacturers on the global stage. In addition to its namesake brand, Geely Auto Corporation owns or has a stake in the following automotive companies: Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Lynk & Co., Zeekr, Proton, and Smart.
Additionally, it is the owner of domestically focused brands that could be better known, such as Geometry and the recently introduced Radar.
Galaxy N-OS intelligent vehicle OS
Geely Auto used the recent event to introduce a slew of new technologies, including the Galaxy N-OS intelligent vehicle operating system, the NordThor Hybrid 8848 powertrain (the number denotes the height of Mount Everest in meters), and the Aegis battery safety system.
In addition to the Galaxy vehicles, Geely Auto used the event to roll out many new technologies.
While the battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will use the most recent iteration of Geely’s SEA architecture as their foundation, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will use a developed platform called e-CMA in collaboration with Volvo.
The L7 will make its first appearance with the NordThor powertrain, which is rumored to be the most thermally efficient mass production unit in the business, with a 44.26 percent efficiency rating.
Additionally, it has a predictive energy management system that is an “industry first,” contributing to a 15% improvement in fuel efficiency.
The L7 features
Geely claims that the NordThor powertrain can deliver either 287kW or 488kW when paired with a three-speed transmission. However, the L7’s acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and its top speed of 200 km/h doesn’t indicate that it has that level of power.
Buyers are more likely to be fascinated by the 5.23L/100km (WLTC) usage assumption and the 1370km range on a single tank. The pure electric battery range has yet to be officially released.
The L7 has four large displays:
· a 10.25-inch instrument panel
· a 13.2-inch center control screen
· a 16.2-inch co-pilot screen
· a 25.6-inch head-up screen
Orders for the L7 were recently opened in China, with prices ranging from $42,500.
