Three years after landing in Israel with the all-electric Geometry C, Chinese brand Geely is launching its first plug-in model, the five-seat StarRay, entering one of the hottest vehicle segments in Israel.
Price: Starting at NIS 170,000, which is NIS 10,000 less than this year’s sales leader, the Jaecoo 7 Plug-in, identical to the base Chery Tiggo 7 Plug-in, and NIS 3,000 more than the BYD Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid, as part of the group’s overall price-reduction trend.
This price is NIS 8,000 higher than the electric EX5 currently sold by Geely in Israel, and the design is very similar. However, with a length of 4.74 meters, a width of 1.905 meters, a height of 1.685 meters and a wheelbase of 2.755 meters, the Starray is larger, mainly thanks to an additional 12 cm in length. Trunk capacity stands at 528 liters.
The powertrain follows the common Chinese formula and includes a 1.5-liter gasoline engine, an electric motor, a combined output of 214 hp and front-wheel drive. With an 18.4 kWh battery, the electric driving range is 83 km, and combined fuel consumption is rated at 41.7 km per liter with a charged battery and 16.1 km per liter when it is not.
Performance figures include 0–100 km/h in 8 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h.
The Starray is offered in two trim levels.
Pro (from NIS 170,000) comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, a 15.4-inch multimedia and control screen with a Hebrew interface, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (currently via a locally added dongle), and a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster. It also includes a remote control app for monitoring charging and activating the climate system, electrically adjustable front seats with heating, a six-speaker audio system and 540-degree surround cameras.
Tech (from NIS 176,000) upgrades to 19-inch wheels and adds a power-opening panoramic sunroof, an electric tailgate, ventilated front seats, a wireless phone charging pad, a head-up display and a Flyme Sound audio system with 16 speakers and a subwoofer.
Safety: A full 5 out of 5 stars in the European crash test and seven airbags. Active safety systems include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and lane correction, an alert for opening a door into an occupied lane, driver fatigue warning and a rear-seat child presence detection system.
Warranty: Six years or 150,000 km for the vehicle, and eight years or 150,000 km for the battery.
A year ago, the Jaecoo 7 Plug-in was launched in Israel at NIS 190,000 and became a hit. Since then, prices in the partially electrified vehicle market have been on a downward trend, and the Starray’s pricing reflects this. The abundance of discounted and larger competitors will make it harder for the Jaecoo 7, which has since been launched in a base version at NIS 180,000, to maintain its position, especially as the larger and well-equipped Omoda 7 plug-in hybrid was launched alongside it in the showroom at NIS 185,000.
For those who are still hesitant about switching to a fully electric vehicle, or who lack a permanent charging station, there is now another competitive option versus conventional hybrids. With the smaller Hyundai Kona starting at NIS 176,000 and the Toyota Corolla Cross at NIS 180,000, even the hybrid segment will be forced to rethink its pricing.