MANY EVS ARE NOW BEING FITTED with larger battery packs to give them a more acceptable range, and Geely Auto Australia has joined the move by enhancing its Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model (but only the flagship model).

The Starray EM-i now gets a new 29.8kWh battery pack, standard on the flagship Inspire grade for Model Year 2027 (MY27) and replacing the current in-market 18.4 kWh battery.

The larger battery delivers an electric-only range boost from the existing 83km to 136km (WLTP), giving drivers more zero-emission, fuel-free driving than ever before and increasing the total combined range to 996km. The entry Complete variant will retain the existing 18.4kWh battery pack.

Geely Auto Australia can also confirm that DC fast charging speeds have been improved for the 29.8kWh battery pack, increasing from 30kW to a maximum of 60kW, resulting in a 30-80 percent charge time of just 16 minutes. Fuel consumption for the Inspire variant has dropped from 2.4L/100 km to just 1.4L/100 km on the combined cycle, a reduction of 42 per cent.

Specification additions for MY27 Starray EM-i Extended Range

The Starray EM-i for MY27 will see new spec additions, including:

• Mode 2 charging cable ‒ 5m length
• Towing preparation
• Trailer stability assist
• Massage function for front seats (Inspire grade only)

Pricing confirmed

The Geely Starray EM-i Inspire Extended Range has been priced at $41,490 (plus on road costs), $1500 more than the outgoing Geely Starray EM-i Inspire variant.

The Geely Starray EM-i range-starting Complete remains priced at $37,490 (plus on road costs).

Variant	Battery	WLTP Range	Electric range
Geely Starray EM-i Complete	18.4kWh	943km	83km	$37,490
Geely Starray EM-i Inspire Extended Range	18.4kWh ⇒ 29.8kWh (+11.4kWh)	943km ⇒ 996km (+50km)	83km ⇒ 136km (+53km)	$39,990 ⇒ $41,490 (+$1500)

The 29.8kWh battery found in the Starray EM-i Extended Range was first utilised in Australia during the Starray EM-i Guinness World Record achievement, in which the Starray EM-i set the world record for lowest fuel consumption driving the Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive by a plug-in hybrid production SUV.

The test vehicle used during the attempt achieved an average fuel consumption of 3.83L/100km whilst traversing the various road conditions presented during the drive route.

The updated MY27 Geely Starray EM-i will arrive in Australian dealerships for delivery in late May 2026.