MULDERSDRIFT, South Africa: China's Chery Auto launched the sale of the hybrid versions of its Omoda C9 and Jaecoo J7 SUVs in South Africa on Thursday, its first new-energy vehicles in the country.
The launch comes at a time of growing competition in Africa's largest automotive market, where sales of electric and hybrid vehicles are rising and other Chinese companies - such as GAC, BYD and GWM - are also making inroads.
Chery introduced its premium Omoda and Jaecoo brands to South Africa in 2023, starting with the Omoda C5 crossover SUV and later adding the Jaecoo J7 and more recently the Omoda C9, both fossil-fuelled.
The new plug-in hybrid Omoda C9 is priced at 999,000 rand (RM238,000) while the super hybrid system Jaecoo J7 comes in at 689,900 (RM164,000) rand.
C9 PHEV.
"This is the first time that Omoda and Jaecoo have launched the plug-in hybrids for the local or the African market, and the move really is because that's the way technology is going, because you get the best of both worlds," Hans Greyling, General Manager of Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa told Reuters on the sidelines of the launch, adding it was the first of three launches planned for the year.
"Probably in August we're looking at a new model on the Jaecoo side, the J5, and then a month or two later we're going to go back to the Omoda side and launch a mid-size C7 SUV," he said.
The hybrid Omoda C9's 34.5kWh battery pack offers an all-electric range of up to 150km, while the combined range is rated at 1,100km - ideal for longer journeys on South Africa's roads with limited charging infrastructure.
