A lone Geely EX2 is crisscrossing Australia on a roadshow, the country's only display model of an electric vehicle that just outsold nearly every car on Earth except one. In April, the Geely EX2 achieved 41,617 global sales — a stunning second place behind only Tesla's Model Y. Now this compact urban EV, launched in Australia as the Xingyuan, is rolling through Brisbane, Sydney, and beyond, drawing crowds of curious buyers eager to glimpse the affordable electric future.
The EX2 matters because it represents a genuine challenge to the electric vehicle status quo. Chinese automaker Geely, headquartered in Hangzhou, already owns a global portfolio spanning Volvo, Polestar, Lynk & Co, Proton, and Lotus. But it's this particular model — designed specifically for urban driving — that's capturing imaginations. At an expected base price around AU$30,000, significantly undercut the EX5 already on sale for AU$40,000, the EX2 opens electric ownership to buyers priced out of the premium market.
When Majella and I tracked down the EX2 at Bartons dealership on Brisbane's south side on a Friday evening, we found something remarkable: a car generating genuine grassroots enthusiasm. The waiting area was dotted with prospective customers sitting in the vehicle, experimenting with the tech, running their hands along the interior. A Facebook community has already sprung up, strangers bonding over shared excitement. Deliveries are expected to begin in September 2026.
The EX2 is small — comparable in size to the Toyota Yaris Cross, the BYD Seagull, and the MG4 — but cleverly designed. It features a 42 kWh battery providing 340 km of range, perfectly suited to city commuting. The stand-out detail that caught our eye: the dashboard's cityscape display that changes colour and contours as you adjust the air conditioning and fan speed. Sales staff hadn't even noticed this feature until we pointed it out. Majella praised the intuitive touchscreen interface and was delighted by the spacious frunk — the front trunk becoming an unexpected selling point. The back seat comfortably fits two adults with generous legroom, though the rear boot space is modest, its footprint invaded by wheel arches. Split rear seats offer flexibility for small cargo runs.
The colour palette alone signals where Geely is aiming: Jupiter pink joins more conventional hues, a bold aesthetic statement in a market traditionally dominated by silvers and blacks. The car's design language promises durability, the website emphasising "the golden ratio" to achieve proportions that are both visually striking and aerodynamically efficient.
What struck me during a conversation with the dealership principal was her candid assessment of market headwinds. BEV sales are declining at her dealership, she said, with the future belonging to plug-in hybrids and hybrid electric vehicles. It's a sobering counterpoint to the global excitement around the EX2's sales figures. Yet the crowds continuing to filter through the dealer on Friday evening suggested something different: hunger for an affordable electric option that doesn't compromise on practicality or personality. As this solitary EX2 continues its roadshow journey south to Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth, it carries with it the hopes of thousands of Australians waiting to drive an electric future — if September comes soon enough.