Geely Starray EM-i sets Guinness record at 3.8 L/100 km, here is what it means for Australian buyers

The Geely Starray EM-i has just set a Guinness World Record for hybrid SUV fuel economy, covering 1,000 km with a combined consumption figure of 3.8 L/100 km. Guinness Record runs are inherently best-case, but the underlying technology is the EM-i plug-in hybrid system Geely has been refining since the Galaxy L7 launched in China, and the underlying car is one we will see in Australia.

The Starray is a mid-size five-seat SUV with a 1.5L turbo petrol engine paired to a dedicated hybrid transmission and a battery sized for around 80 km of pure electric range. In plug-in mode it does the school run and the supermarket run on battery alone. On longer trips the petrol engine cuts in and the system optimises around it. The Guinness drive used the engine sparingly and very carefully, but the fuel-economy ballpark is real for buyers who actually charge.

For Australia, this matters because Geely is on the verge of becoming a real volume player. The brand just cleared 2,000 monthly sales here for the first time. The Starray EM-i is expected to land locally during the second half of 2026 to sit between the EX5 (smaller, fully electric) and a planned three-row SUV. AU pricing has not been confirmed, but the Chinese market position suggests the Starray will land in the same window as the BYD Sealion 6 and the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Plug-In, which would put it around $45,000 to $55,000 drive-away.

Cartell Verdict

The Guinness number is marketing. The technology behind it is not. Plug-in hybrid SUVs from Chinese brands are about to take a bite out of the mid-size family SUV segment in Australia, and Geely's EM-i system is one of the most efficient currently on sale anywhere. Watch the AU launch. We will be reviewing the local-spec car when it lands.