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Geely Starray EM-i Sets Guinness Record For Fuel Efficiency
On December 12, 2025 in Melbourne, Geely announced that its plug-in hybrid Starray EM-i has bagged a new Guinness World Records title. The accolade reads like a niche sport: Lowest fuel consumption driving the Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive by a plug-in hybrid powered production SUV. It is the sort of claim that makes engineers beam and sceptics check their spreadsheets.
Record Run Details
Over two days, December 9 and 10, 2025, a Starray EM-i fitted with a 29.8 kWh battery completed the coastal run and covered 1,056 kilometres with a verified fuel consumption of 3.83 L/100 km. To put that in context, the official NEDC figure is 4.4 L/100 km, so the car managed to do even better on the open road than on paper. The attempt was carried out on public roads rather than a closed track, with official Guinness World Records adjudicators on hand to make sure no creative accounting was taking place.
Engineering Behind The Numbers
The Starray EM-i is underpinned by Geely’s GEA architecture and the EM-i Super Hybrid system. At its heart sits a high-efficiency 1.5 litre engine married to an 11-in-1 E-Drive System, and the whole setup swaps between pure electric, pure engine and hybrid modes depending on what the road, battery and driver demand. The result is a machine that balances very low energy use with genuinely long range, helped by a dedicated high thermal efficiency engine, an efficient hybrid electric drive, clever energy management strategies and an aerodynamic body that refuses to create unnecessary drag.
Real-World Route And Conditions
The Sydney to Melbourne coastal route was chosen because real-world driving is messy: coastal plains, rolling hills, urban congestion and the early summer heat of the Australian coast. The challenge was designed as a metropolitan travel route to reflect everyday conditions rather than a laboratory. Navigating that variety while under scrutiny from adjudicators gives the record some teeth; this was not a one-lap wonder on a velodrome.
Market Performance And Global Rollout
The Starray EM-i was developed as a global model and has been well received. By the end of November 2025 it had sold 114,185 units worldwide and is already available in markets including Australia, Italy, Mexico, South Africa and Indonesia. With this Guinness title in its pocket, the model will continue its international rollout, pitching the EM-i Super Hybrid technology to more buyers who want efficiency without surrendering range or everyday practicality.
This achievement is being presented as proof that hybrid systems can be more than compromise. They can be clever, frugal and useful in the sort of real-world conditions most people actually drive in.
Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.
