Geely has begun teasing its upcoming all-electric
sedan, which the company says will be making its official debut in early 2019,
although it isn’t being very specific. Currently referred to as the GE11, the
EV will be a global product to support Geely’s efforts to enter overseas
markets.
The sole teaser image depicts a sleek sedan that
certainly has an air of Mercedes-Benz CLA to it. Based on the press materials,
Geely says the front end follows a “closed frontal design language,” where the
headlamps are designed around the concept of ‘Yi’, the Chinese word for one.
The Chinese carmaker says the GE11’s shape
contributes to a wind drag coefficient of just 0.2375 Cd, with many cues making
this possible. Tweaking the image reveals a face that features a closed upper
grille and sculpted bumper corners, with just a lower inlet being present. The
EV also has retractable door handles that are flush with the bodywork, in the
same spirit as those on the Range Rover Velar. For an even better look at the
GE11, Autohome recently posted undisguised images of the EV, and the vehicle
seen closely matches what is being teased by Geely.
The images also include a view of the model’s rear,
where a scripted trim piece connects the taillights – a cue also seen on the
Borui and Binrui sedans. Without an engine, there’s no need for an exhaust
pipe, so the rear is largely barren.
On the mention of propulsion, the site claims a 177
PS electric motor will provide drive with the support of a lithium-ion
battery. Aside from a maximum top speed of 150 km/h no other details have surfaced
yet.
An interior shot of a pre-production GE11 points at
a contemporary design that is highlighted by a large centre screen just above
the air-con vents. A small screen acts as the driver’s instrument cluster
display, while the modern-looking centre console has few switchgear to speak
of.
According to the source, the GE11 is classified as a
compact car, with a length of 4,736 mm, width of 1,804 mm, height of 1,503 mm,
and a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. It is larger in terms of dimensions than the SL.
