UPDATE: It has been officially named as the Geely Azkarra (3/11).

Geely is taking a bold step by introducing its very own gasoline-electric hybrid technology into its upcoming compact SUV. The yet unnamed offering may beat the Subaru Forester e-BOXER as the country’s first electrified compact SUV.

The compact SUV will pair a 1.5-liter turbo-charged gasoline engine complemented by a 48-volt belt-starter generator (BSG) integrated in the Front-End Accessory Drive (FEAD) of the engine, a 48-volt to 12 DC/DC converter, a 48-volt lithium-ion battery module and battery management system (BMS), along with a recuperation braking system and a hybrid module control system.

Sojitz G Auto Philippines Corp. (SGAP) President & CEO Mikihisa Takayama said, “Hybrid and electric vehicle technology is becoming increasingly popular in the auto industry. This is where the future is heading to. 2020 is definitely going to be a landmark year for Geely in the Philippine automotive market as it steps up its game, with the introduction of the MHEV.”

The integration of the mild hybrid technology allows the vehicle to have various EV functions such as idle start/stop, pure electric mode during coasting, and energy recycling through the regenerative braking system.

The Coolray’s big brother will also come with what Geely promises to be exciting styling, luxurious interior, and smart vehicle technologies. It is slated for market launch by the second quarter of 2020.