Electric Geely EX5 will lose retractable door handles

Chinese automaker Geely is making an important change to the design of its popular EX5 electric crossover: starting with the updated 2026 version, the car will abandon the retractable door handles that became a visual feature of the first batches of the model. The decision was dictated not so much by aesthetics as by practical considerations - reliability, cost of maintenance and adaptation to harsh climatic conditions, including Russian ones.

Retractable handles, despite their contribution to aerodynamics (Cd coefficient decreased by 0.01–0.02), turned out to be vulnerable to icing, contamination and mechanical damage when operating outside warm metropolitan areas. This is especially true for regions with long winters, where owners complained about freezing mechanisms and delays when opening doors. In addition, the abandonment of complex electromechanics made it possible to reduce production costs and simplify service maintenance.

The new door handles will be recessed, but stationary - in the style of the Tesla Model Y or Nio ES6. They will retain a minimalistic appearance without disturbing the overall futuristic look of the EX5, but will become much more reliable. At the same time, aerodynamic losses are compensated by modifications in the area of ​​the wheel arches and the bottom.

The rest of the EX5's features will remain unchanged: a range of up to 530 km (CLTC), 800-volt architecture, fast charging (10-80% in 20 minutes), a digital cabin with a 15.4-inch screen and an L2+ autopilot system. The updated version will go on sale in China in the first quarter of 2026, and in Russia in the second half of the year.

Thus, Geely does not rely on showiness, but on practicality and durability - a sign of the maturity of the brand. Refusal of retractable handles is not a step back, but a conscious choice in favor of real comfort for the owner. And this is the essence of the new stage in the development of Chinese electric vehicles.