Geely is expanding its Galaxy range with a new plug-in-hybrid (PHEV), called the Geely Galaxy Starship 7. While prices haven’t been announced yet, Car News China reports that pre-sales will open on November 8th, with an official launch expected within the year.
The Starship 7 is built on Geely’s global modular platform (GMA), the same platform that underpins the Geely Galaxy E5 and Proton eMAS7. But the trio share more than just the platform – the Starship 7 also strongly resembles the Galaxy E5 twins in looks, size, and even interior design touches too. Could this be the Chinese counterpart to the rumoured Proton eMAS7 PHEV?
Designed according to Geely’s Galaxy “Ripple” design language, the Starship 7 sports a unique front end with a full-width light bar and a distinctive bumper design. The pop-out door handles seen on the E5 have been replaced with more conventional ones. The rear also features C-shaped taillights, while the number plate is mounted on the boot lid here, instead of the bumper like the Galaxy E5 and Proton eMAS7.
Inside, the Starship 7’s interior features the same two-spoke steering wheel as the Galaxy E5. However, the dashboard and centre console layout has been revised with a more rounded design. The central screen is also slightly smaller at 14.6-inch, but like the eMAS7 and Galaxy E5, it also runs on the Flyme Auto System.
The driver gets a 13.8-inch display behind the steering wheel for essential information. Other interior features include a 16-speaker sound system, ambient lighting, massaging seats with heating and ventilation functions, and a 50-watt wireless phone charger.
The highlight of the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 is its NordThor 2.0 PHEV powertrain, featuring a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine producing 110 hp with a thermal efficiency of 46%, and an “11-in-1” electric drive incorporating P1 and P3 electric motors, the latter driving the car. While Geely hasn’t revealed the electric motor outputs, the company says the Starship 7 will complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.5 seconds.
RELATED: Geely’s next-gen THOR PHEV system aims its crosshairs on BYD’s DM 5.0 tech
Two battery packs are available: a 19.09 kWh and a 28.94 kWh pack, providing an electric-only range of 101 km and 105 km respectively (unknown test cycle). But as this is a plug-in hybrid after all, the true story is when you drive it like one – Geely claims that with a full tank of petrol and a full charge, the Starship 7 can achieve a total range of up to 1,430 km.
Closer to home, the highly anticipated Proton eMas7 is now officially open for booking here in Malaysia with two variants, namely the Prime and Premium, with pricing estimated to start from RM120,000.
RELATED: Proton eMAS7 now open for booking in Malaysia – 2 variants, from est. RM120k!
