Geely Panda EV, please don’t mock…

Under its playful looks, the new Geely Panda EV tells us a lot about the future of electric cars. And it’s reassuring.

One could laugh at it with its pink stickers, tuning spoiler, big round eyes, and very 1980s boxy shapes. But in the end, after the discovery phase, another obvious piece of information emerges: China is signaling the end of the era of unaffordable electric cars. This is driven by the fact that sales are slowing down.

Starting from the observation that the popularity of electric cars will come from an entry-level approach across the range, not just with sedans or SUVs reserved for the wealthy, China is betting on the right horse. There’s no need for large, heavy, and expensive cars capable of traveling 1000 kilometers. That excellence will remain, but China’s decarbonization, as sought by the government, will come from the masses. As a reminder, Geely owns brands Volvo, Smart, Zeekr, and Lotus.

Therefore, very small cars with enough range to go to the factory every morning and come back are needed. A car capable of meeting 90% of the needs of an average Chinese person. And here, to stand out, manufacturers will compete with originality. This is the case with this new Geely Panda EV in the Kart Edition trim.

Long live tuning!

Marketed in February 2023, the Geely Panda has already found 130,000 customers thanks notably to its tiny price: starting from 29,900 yuan, or about 3,850 euros. At this price, power is limited to 41 horsepower, and range to 120 km, barely less than a Peugeot Ion from a few years ago. Yet, its price was 8 times higher…

An extended-range version (around 6,500 euros) offers up to 200 kilometers of range and a charging speed of 22 kW for a full charge up to 80% in about 45 minutes. Here, it’s as good as a Dacia Spring, for a third of the price…

Inside, there’s a 9.2-inch digital screen, wireless connectivity, voice control, navigation, air conditioning, etc. Finally, a smartphone app also allows unlocking the vehicle and remotely starting the air conditioning.

In short, the Geely Panda EV initially makes you smile, but it has understood everything.

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