Auto Shanghai 2025: Geely Panda Knight: A Perfect Urban EV?

Making a bold statement at the recent Auto Shanghai 2025, the Geely Panda Knight redefines what a compact electric vehicle (EV) can be.

A new addition to Geely’s EV portfolio, the Panda Knight brings playful design, urban ruggedness, and practical e-mobility in a package that’s both distinctive and accessible.

The Panda Knight sits 3,135 MM long with a 2,015 MM wheelbase, 1,565 MM wide, and 1,655 MM tall. In other words, this Geely EV sits shorter and narrower than the Perodua Axia, but notably taller, giving it a commanding urban presence.

As for styling, the bold front fascia features a six-slat grille, followed by chunky black cladding wraps around the body, as well as oversized front and rear bumpers to amplify its rugged, mini-4x4 aesthetic. Roof rails and side steps hint at adventure, even if it’s mostly for show.

Inside, the Panda Knight balances practicality with tech-savvy simplicity. A clean cabin layout houses an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, complemented by a 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster. The rotary gear selector lends a modern touch, though the manual handbrake retains a charmingly old-school feel.

The Panda Knight seats four, but ideally the rear seats are best suited for smaller occupants. Boot space is limited, with real cargo flexibility only unlocked by folding down the rear seats, hence turning this into a perfect two seater.

Powering the Panda Knight is an e-motor producing 41 PS (30 kW) and 110 NM - enough to achieve a top speed of 100 KM/H. It’s juiced by a 17.03 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, providing up to 200 KM of CLTC-rated range.

Charging is quick and easy thanks to its rather small battery size. In fact, 22 kW DC fast charging see the battery re-charge from 30% to 80% in just 30 minutes. Full recharges via 6 kW AC home charging, on the other hand, takes around 4.5 hours.

In terms of safety, however, the Panda Knight is rather ‘basic’ here as it only offers a single driver’s airbag. This perhaps explains the rather “low” selling price of just RMB53,900 (RM32,000) in China too.

In contrast, the base-spec Axia at least offers dual airbags amongst several other basics, hence why we doubt the Panda Knight would pass any NCAP tests. 

If introduced in Malaysia, potentially through a Proton-linked initiative, the Panda Knight could still appeal to young, tech-savvy urbanites looking for an affordable and sustainable commuter.

However, for such a plan to realistically be feasible, this EV’s basic safety features must be enhanced to meet local expectations.

Ultimately, the question remains: will Malaysians be ready to embrace a bold, new lifestyle with this compact EV? Or will the tried-and-tested Axia continue to be the safer bet?