Geely refreshes the Panda Mini with CATL cells and a go-kart look, priced from 6,540 USD

Geely has given its smallest electric car a second wind. On September 7 the brand put the Panda Mini Karting Edition on sale in China at a list price of 49,900 yuan (7,435 USD), with an early-bird promotion cutting that to 43,900 yuan (6,540 USD). The three-door city hatch stretches just 3.15 meters and drives its rear axle through a 30 kW (40 hp) motor, with speed capped at 100 km/h.

The headline change is under the floor: a 17.2 kWh LFP battery built by CATL takes over from the previous 17.03 kWh pack sourced from Gotion. Geely says the new unit passed 76 safety tests. Charging peaks at 22 kW DC, good for a 30-80% top-up in 30 minutes, while range is rated at 210 km on the CLTC cycle — roughly 172 km WLTP.

True to its name, the Karting Edition leans into playful styling with a front lip and a large roof-mounted wing, both purely decorative. Customers pick from orange, black, gray, white, or pink paint, and Black & White or Pink & White cabins featuring a 9.2-inch instrument cluster, an 8-inch touchscreen, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, two frontal airbags, and a 69-liter trunk. The car rides on 14-inch wheels with a 2,015 mm wheelbase.

The update arrives at a rough patch for the nameplate. Since debuting in February 2023 as a rival to the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, Chery QQ Ice Cream, and Changan Lumin, the Panda Mini has accumulated 426,704 domestic deliveries. Yet January-July 2026 sales totaled just 23,377 units, down 77% year over year, and Geely is betting the youthful go-kart flavor can win back younger urban buyers.