China's Geely Auto officially launched the new Galaxy electrified vehicle luxury brand at an event in Hangzhou earlier today.
The automaker has great ambitions for the new vehicle line, which will include a total of seven highly efficient models within the next two years – four long-range plug-in hybrids and three battery electric vehicles.
Two vehicles were showcased at the event: the Galaxy L7 plug-in hybrid SUV, which is a production model, and the Galaxy Light fully electric concept. The first to launch will be two plug-in hybrids: the Galaxy L7 SUV in the second quarter of 2023 followed by the L6 sedan – which wasn't revealed – in the third quarter.
As for the all-electric models, the first to arrive will be the Galaxy E8 flagship, scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2023. Geely didn't say it specifically, but the spectacular Galaxy Light concept likely previews the new brand's first production EV.
The Galaxy series is said to integrate Geely's global car development capabilities, with its BEV products utilizing a dedicated smart electrified architecture – likely derived from the SEA EV platform – and the PHEV models utilizing the E-CMA platform – which is already used by models including the Lynk&Co 01, Polestar 2, and Volvo XC40 Recharge.
As you can see in the photo gallery, Geely's Galaxy models will feature a futuristic new design language created specifically for the brand. There are no Geely badges on any of the vehicles, which instead feature a logo reminiscent of the Geometry sub-brand, consisting of six white squares arranged on two horizontal rows on top of each other.
Gallery: Geely's Galaxy Light BEV Concept and Galaxy L7 PHEV SUV
The Geely Light is a striking fastback that resembles the Porsche Taycan, only it's more futuristing, featuring front butterfly door and rear-hinged rear doors. The interior is loaded with tech, with highlights including a massive display spanning almost the entire width of the dashboard, innovative mood lighting and translucent materials.
The giant touchscreen runs on a new smart vehicle operating system called Galaxy N-OS, which is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8155 vehicle chip. Geely says the operating system enables "the fastest system startup and response time in its class, only taking 0.5 seconds to reach a ready operational state."
By 2025, Geely Holding Group expects to complete the launch of its 72-satellite network, providing full global coverage for Galaxy models for "centimeter accurate precision positioning" and "high-precision maps to assist in intelligent driving functionality."
New dedicated hybrid engine with 44.2 percent thermal efficiency
At the event, Geely also provided details about the latest-generation NordThor Hybrid 8848 powertrain featuring a peak thermal efficiency of 44.26 percent. Paired with a three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT) and featuring the industry's first predictive energy management system, the dedicated hybrid engine is said to improve fuel economy by up to 15 percent over Geely's existing PHEVs.
On the Galaxy L7 SUV, the powertrain is said to achieve real world fuel consumption of 5.23 liters/100 km (45 mpg US), enabling a range of 1,370 kilometers (851 miles) with a fuel tank of gas – the pure electric battery range will be announced later.
