Geely is hoping to usurp the likes of the Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID Polo with the new EX2, which will be priced from £20,990 in the UK.

China's best-selling car, the EX2 is a small electric hatchback. It's the third model the Chinese brand has launched here, after the EX5 EV and Starray PHEV.

Sales will begin next month, with three specifications on offer: Pro (£20,990), Max (£23,490) and Ultra (£25,490). 

The Pro is powered by a 35kWh battery pack and a rear-mounted 80bhp motor, yiedling an official range of 155 miles. That puts it in the same ballpark as the smaller Renault Twingo and Honda Super-N.

Upgrading to Max brings a 47kWh battery and a 114bhp motor, boosting range to 214 miles – positioning it between the Urban Range and Comfort Range versions of the Renault 5.

The EX2's interior is dominated by digital panels, with a 14.6in infotainment touchscreen used for controlling most functions. This has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring as standard. 

Bar the upgraded powertrain, the Max's specification matches that of the entry-level Pro. Moving up to Ultra brings ambient lighting, a 360deg camera, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, among other niceties.

The EX2 will be instrumental in Geely’s ambitious plan for dramatic growth in the UK: it will have a portfolio of 10 models by 2029 and aims to reach 100,000 annual sales by 2030.

For reference, it took Korean marque Kia decades to reach the same milestone, having finally crossed the 100,000-car milestone in 2022.

Geely sold a total of 450,000 EX2s in China last year.

Michael Yang, general manager of Geely Auto UK, higlighted the car's "attractive pricing" as one of its key attributes.

The company is positioning itself as a value-focused alternative to European competitors, hoping that will help it steal sales from mainstream brands.