Australia is about to get a Chinese Battleship.
To be more specific, it’s the Geely Battleship 700, which the brand confirmed will arrive Down Under late next year.
Although specific local details remain limited and the bold ‘Battleship’ name might be rebadged before launch, the SUV promises massive power and heavy-duty off-road capability.
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And a new party trick that could change parking forever.
MAYBE A BATTLESHIP
What is known, is the five-seat off-road plug-in hybrid is set to become Geely’s flagship model in Australia, taking aim at established names such as the Toyota Prado, Land Rover Defender, and Ford Everest, as well as electrified rivals like the Denza B5 and B8.
In China, the Battleship pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 47kWh battery and a tri-motor all-wheel-drive system that delivers up to 170km of fully electric driving range.
This set up produces a huge 830kW of combined power, with Geely claiming the SUV can sprint from 0–100km/h in just over four seconds.
While that massive power figure is likely to grab plenty of attention, Geely has another party trick up its sleeve that could prove even more entertaining for Australian buyers.
As more brands enter the Australian car market, manufacturers are increasingly looking for features that set their vehicles apart from the competition.
PARTY TRICK, PARKING TRICK
Geely believes it has done exactly that with the Battleship 700’s so-called Waltz turn, which allows the large SUV to perform an on-the-spot turning manoeuvre to help it squeeze into tight spaces.
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To activate the system, the driver needs to buckle up, select the “three-point turn” function through the vehicle’s touchscreen, select Drive, and release the brake pedal.
Geely says the manoeuvre is particularly helpful for squeezing the near-three-tonne vehicle into remarkably tight spaces. It is similar in concept to the crab-walk and tank-turn functions offered by some other off-road vehicles.
The Battleship 700 rides on a new ladder-architecture platform that features adjustable-height air suspension, an 800mm water-wading depth, and 233mm of ground clearance.
It rides on 20-inch wheels and features an integrated differential lock as part of its tri-motor all-wheel-drive system.
INSIDE, AN AIRCRAFT
Inside, Geely has opted for a futuristic cabin with a jet-inspired design, featuring a gear selector that resembles something you might find in a commercial passenger aircraft.
Various driving modes sit next to the gear shifter, flanked by a row of conventional physical buttons and toggles to control its off-road modes and tri-motor AWD system.
Passengers will also get a decently sized panoramic sunroof, while the driver gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, along with a heating and cooling compartment in the centre console.
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Geely has not confirmed Australian pricing, but in China, the Battleship 700 starts at the equivalent of around $56,500. We expect pricing in Australia to sit significantly higher, somewhere between $80,000 and $100,000.
The Battleship 700 is part of an expanding local line-up that includes the Monjaro mid-size SUV and Emgrand sedan, both arriving in 2027.
However, the flagship Battleship 700 will land slightly later in the second half of the year, with full pricing and Australian specifications to be confirmed closer to launch.
Geely is one of Australia’s fastest-growing car brands, entering the top 10 overall for the first time in August 2026 — less than two years after launching in the Australian market.