In July, Geely Auto Group announced its upcoming entry into the UK market with its latest model, the Geely-branded EX5. As its first distributor in Europe, Geely Auto UK marks another significant milestone in the Chinese automaker’s global expansion, continuing its channel development and product rollout across five continents. This move signals a new, advanced phase in the company’s globalization strategy.

As Geely’s first global model built on the GEA (Global Intelligent Electric) architecture, the EX5 incorporates Geely’s core NEV (new energy vehicle) technology, including the Geely Short Blade battery, CTB structure, and 11-in-1 intelligent electric drive. In the next three years, the automaker says it will continue to increase the number of its products in overseas markets, launching 8 NEV models that are built on the GEA architecture to cover different market segments, and further consolidate its competitive advantages.

Today, UK-based chip IP company Arm Ltd. announced it is helping to power the EX5’s intelligence.

The vehicle is “a fantastic example of how our automotive OEM partners are using Arm technology to combine performance, safety, and connectivity on one intelligent platform,” said Dipti Vachani, SVP and GM, Automotive Line of Business, Arm. “This collaboration highlights how the Arm compute platform enables built-in safety and security, and real-time intelligence capabilities to help Geely deliver smarter, more connected driving experiences.”

At the core of the EX5 is the SiEngine StarEagle (SE1000) system-on-chip (SoC), which is built on Arm’s Automotive Enhanced (AE) technologies, according to Vachani.

“Established in 2019, Arm’s collaboration with this automotive-focused semiconductor company has become a model for how close silicon partnerships can accelerate innovation in automotive compute,” said Vachani.

This SoC integrates Arm Cortex-A CPUs for application processing, Arm Cortex-R CPUs for real-time control and safety functions, Arm Mali GPUs for high-fidelity graphics on IVI screens, and Arm ISPs (image signal processors) for vision and camera-based intelligence, enabling the Geely EX5 to deliver screen integration, intelligent park assist, and multilingual natural-language voice interaction for more intuitive driving experiences.

Building on Arm’s mobile device expertise, Vachani says the central IVI system mirrors the responsiveness of a smartphone, making in-vehicle interaction simpler and more intuitive. By combining high compute performance and efficiency with advanced intelligence capabilities, the StarEagle (SE1000) gives Geely the freedom to develop vehicles that deliver faster, smarter, and more personalized driving experiences. In addition, since safety and reliability are the foundation of Arm’s AE technologies, a dedicated real-time ASIL-D safety island continuously monitors critical systems in the EX5 to ensure reliability even under fault conditions.

“The Geely EX5 marks a clear shift in the industry toward vehicles that are defined by software and accelerated with intelligent performance,” said Vachani. “Through Arm’s scalable compute platform, automakers can continuously enhance the driving experience—updating features, improving driver assistance, and refining in-cabin experiences through over-the-air (OTA) updates to keep vehicles current long after they leave the factory.”

The SiEngine SE1000 smart cockpit SoC is designed with industry-leading 7-nm process technology, featuring high performance and low-power dissipation in support of in-vehicle infotainment. With the high-performance customized CPU clusters and a heterogeneous computing system, it is said to provide users with an excellent performance experience.

The SoC’s embedded AI neural network processing unit boosts the audio-visual experience and ADAS functioning. A new multi-core graphics processing unit dynamically allocates resources according to the load. One machine with multiple screens and systems supports multiple high-resolution screen outputs at the same time. A built-in high-performance audio signal processing unit delivers rich audio interfaces for “an extraordinary” A/V entertainment experience. Its high-level Safety Island satisfies ISO 26262 automotive certification to guarantee vehicle function safety. A hardware encryption/decryption engine provides security information guarantees for in-vehicle applications.

The EX5 demonstrates how advanced Chinese EVs have become, boasting intelligent features, a user-friendly driving experience, and state-of-the-art design. The electric SUV boasts an aerodynamic body and a “smartly crafted” interior that has won Red Dot, MUSE Design, IDA Design, and A’ Design awards.

The EX5 boasts an average WLTP range of up to 430 km, fast charging capability from 30% to 80% in just 20 min, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.9 s.

Geely Auto Group’s globalization plan, via its “Five by Five” strategy, focuses on expanding its presence through five global design centers, R&D centers, testing clusters, powertrain pathways, and AI ecosystems to drive innovation and sustainable mobility. The Group, based in Hangzhou, China, manages several leading brands in addition to Geely Auto, including Lynk & Co and Zeekr. It employs more than 50,000 people and operates 12 plants and five global R&D centers in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Gothenburg, Coventry, and Frankfurt. The Group also has five global design studios in Shanghai, Ningbo, Gothenburg, Milan, and Coventry with over 1000 employees.

As a global model, the EX5 is available in both left-hand and right-hand drive versions, meeting the regulatory requirements of 89 countries, including the UK. The introduction to the UK market of the all-electric C-Segment SUV is providing Geely Auto UK with an opportunity to highlight the involvement of other UK-related automotive innovators.

“For that reason, before we release the car for sale, we’re working with the experts at Lotus Engineering to make sure we have a car that’s in line with expectations,” said Mike Yang, General Manager at Geely Auto UK.

Geely Auto UK called upon “Geely partner firm” Lotus Engineering for its expertise in chassis and dynamics assessment. The EX5 has undergone subjective and objective assessment by dynamics experts on roads, the Lotus test track, and a multi-post rig. It is said to be a strong foundation for future tuning of the EX5 tailored to European roads and customer driving styles.

Last month, Geely Auto also announced it is partnering with Andersen, the UK’s premium design-led EV charge point brand, to provide a co-branded edition of the award-winning Andersen A3 home EV charger free of cost to customers of the EX5. Geely is offering a complimentary charger with each purchase of the EX5 during the pre-sale period that is just ending.

“With the EX5, Geely is clearly focused on delivering a high-quality EV that provides a premium user experience,” said David Martell, Andersen’s CEO. “Our innovative and stylish charger will provide Geely EX5 customers with a seamless home charging experience that complements their vehicle, home, and lifestyle.”