BAIC B30 vs Geely E5 EM-i

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

BAIC B30 in South Africa

BAIC B30

B30 Elite Adventure Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 138 kW 🔧 305 Nm ⛽ 12.41 km/l
VS
Geely E5 EM-i in South Africa

Geely E5 EM-i

Apex Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 679,999 ex-showroom
⚡ 73 kW 🔧 125 Nm
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BAIC B30 vs Geely E5 EM-i: the short answer

B30 and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

B30 starts ZAR 80,099 cheaper B30 from ZAR 519,900 · E5 EM-i from ZAR 599,999

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification B30 E5 EM-i
Maximum Power B30138 kW E5 EM-i73 kW
Maximum Torque B30305 Nm E5 EM-i125 Nm
Engine Size B301498 cc E5 EM-i1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy B3012.41 km/l E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance B30215 mm E5 EM-i172 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

B30

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance
Specification evidence leader

E5 EM-i

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

B30

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

E5 EM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec B30 E5 EM-i
Model Introduced Year 2025 2025
Generation Current first-generation BAIC B30 for South Africa, introduced locally for the 2025 model year with petrol and self-charging HEV derivatives. Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published
Facelift History The B30 was unveiled locally in August 2025 and launched in November 2025 as the first South African version; no later local facelift has been announced. No applicable South African facelift history established
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending Current Not Applicable
Body Style Five-door mid-size SUV SUV
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Mid-size SUV Passenger vehicle
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec B30 E5 EM-i
Length 4730 mm 4740 mm
Width 1910 mm 1905 mm
Height 1790 mm 1685 mm
Wheelbase 2820 mm 2755 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 215 mm 172 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space Not Officially Disclosed 528 l
Kerb Weight 1575 kg 1770 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2034 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 459 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 1500 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats Not Officially Disclosed
Number of Rows 2 rows Not Officially Disclosed
Doors 5 doors Not Officially Disclosed
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This B30 and E5 EM-i comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: B30 59 vs E5 EM-i 39.

Efficiency index: B30 51 vs E5 EM-i 79.

Safety-equipment index: B30 92 vs E5 EM-i 91.

Practicality index: B30 61 vs E5 EM-i 71.

Ownership-cover index: B30 not separately scored vs E5 EM-i not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

E5 EM-i leads by 3 points

B30 and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 55% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

E5 EM-i

55% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 79
Safety 91
Practicality 71
Leads by 3 points
66
#2

B30

70% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 59
Efficiency 51
Safety 92
Practicality 61
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance B30 +20 Efficiency E5 EM-i +28 Safety B30 +1 Practicality E5 EM-i +10

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

E5 EM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 71/100

B30

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 61/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Geely E5 EM-i leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 66 pts for B30

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, E5 EM-i leads. However, B30 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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B30 vs E5 EM-i questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.