Dubbed the fastest-growing car brand in the world, Omoda and Jaecoo have some broad expansion plans for South Africa which will see the Chinese automaker bolster its local offering with several new models.
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Little less than 2 years ago, Omoda and Jaecoo weren’t yet on the radar of South African car buyers but the Chery subsidiary has already established a name for itself after arriving with a splash. The global portfolio in July alone comprised 21 796 vehicles, which is a 38.5% growth year on year. This all contributes to a total 123 266 vehicles exported from January to the end of July, representing a 42.4% increase from the same time in 2023.
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South Africa has been at the forefront of this growth plan, as have 40 other global markets that include New Zealand, Netherlands, Thailand, Vietnam, Chile, Mexico and Spain. Speaking of Spain, Omoda became the first Chery subsidiary to enter Europe in February of this year, later becoming the first Chinese automaker to produce vehicles on the coninet in the same country. This expansion in Europe was followed by presence at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and brand launches in Poland, Turkey and Italy.
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Closer to home, Omoda and Jaecoo have made a splash, cultivating brand growth through partnerships in the popular culture sphere while chipping away at achieving a greater market share. To date, the combined brands have a 21% month-on-month increase with the C5 and J7 models currently on sale, yet to be joined by the C9 from October. August saw a peak of 500 units which have rolled off of 41 showrooms throughout the country.
Omoda and Jaecoo plan to have more than 50 dealerships by the close of the year, with 2 in the North-West, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, 1 in the Free State and the Northern Cape, 3 in Mpumalanga, 8 in Kwa-Zulu Natal, 9 in the Western Cape and 20 in Gauteng. This expansion, according to Shannon Gahagan, National Brand and Marketing Manager, is key for a raft of Omoda and Jaecoo products set to arrive in the next several months. This includes the Jaecoo J8 set to arrive in Q2 of 2025 , Jaecoo J5 in Q4 of 2025, Omoda C9 in Q4 of 2024 and the Omoda C7 in Q2 of 2025.
In the electrified revolution, the Chery subsidiaries are also keen to take the market by storm. The Jaecoo J6, unveiled at the Festival of Motoring serves as the first fully electrified model from the group to land in South Africa. The 279 kW and 385 N.m SUV boasts a 364 km range from its 69.77 kWh battery. In addition, both brands will also be catering to the ‘E-Era’ in South Africa with a variety of HEV and PHEV models slated for arrival in 2025.
