At the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, Geely revealed its new flagship plug-in hybrid SUV, the Geely Galaxy Starship Concept, representing a nearly final version of the Geely Galaxy L9 set to arrive in China next year. Geely Auto currently operates as a brand within the Geely Group, not yet available in Europe.
While the final name remains uncertain, when Geely introduced the Galaxy lineup in 2023, it announced four PHEV models named L5, L6, L7, and L9, with the latter being the flagship. It is based on the GEA platform derived from the SEA platform, which underpins all Zeekr models, as well as the Volvo EX90 and the Lotus Eletre.
Design of the Geely Galaxy Starship Concept
Measuring over 5 meters long, the Geely Galaxy Starship Concept boasts a distinctive design, featuring doors inspired by the HiPhi concept, blending elements of suicide doors and gull-wing doors: the lower parts open like suicide doors, while the glazed areas open upwards like gull-wing doors. It’s unlikely this feature will make it to production, but other design elements might be adopted for the L9.
The front end of the Galaxy Starship is enclosed and sports a star-patterned matrix design similar to that seen on the Galaxy E8. The vehicle’s sides exhibit clean, straight lines, reminiscent of some Chinese electric vehicle startups. It includes hidden door handles and strikingly triangular wheels.
These wheels are said to offer low aerodynamic drag, but it’s hard to believe they will be production-ready. At the rear, the car features twin shark fins on the roof, along with a dual-layer transverse light bar, with the upper U-shaped element interrupted by the Geely logo, while the lower element emphasizes the logo itself.
Interior Features
Inside the cabin, the environment is futuristic, boasting features like a seat that can not only recline completely flat but also exit the car for last-mile transportation. There’s also an artificial intelligence ecosystem with holographic projections and personalized images.
Some of the more feasible elements, like image and video interaction, are expected to be available through an OTA update for the Galaxy E8 by the end of this year. Powering the cockpit is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip, driving Geely’s self-developed operating system, with integration for devices like AI phones, drones, and smart glasses.
The GEA Platform
The concept SUV introduces a range of technological elements expected to soon arrive in the production models of the Galaxy lineup. Firstly, the Galaxy Starship is based on the new GEA (Geely Electric Architecture) platform, derived from Geely’s SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform, capable of accommodating fully electric, range-extender, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
The Starship concept is a PHEV utilizing Geely’s next-generation Thor system, boasting the world’s highest thermal efficiency engine of 46%, and claimed to offer a combined range of over 2000 km in CLTC cycle, with fuel consumption under 3.0 l/100 km.
The GEA platform by Geely unlocks a digital AI ecosystem for new energy vehicles, functioning as a digital AI chassis. Developed in-house by Geely, it integrates technologies like steer-by-wire, intelligent driving, and individual wheel drive, with a response time of 4 ms, allowing vehicles to handle automatic control and risk avoidance under extreme conditions, and reportedly even execute driverless drifting.
Among the innovations introduced by the Galaxy Starship is an 11-in-1 intelligent electric drive system. Geely claims it to be the lightest, smallest, and most efficient in the industry, enhancing energy efficiency and power performance, resulting in greater range and speed. Additionally, Geely claims to have mastered silicon carbide hybrid drive integration technology, reducing the required silicon carbide amount by 75% for the 800V architecture platform.
