Like the meaning of the name Dongfeng, which translates to ‘East Wind’ and symbolises progress and ambition for the Chinese, it is the same progress South African customers can expect from the brand, which is one of the largest state-owned automakers in China. JP Roets, Sales Manager at Dongfeng Pretoria, the first and flagship dealership of the brand in South Africa, tells Dealerfloor, the interest shown in the product range so far is exceeding all expectations.

“The uptake on EVs in the country will gain momentum with more choice, and although the prices might still be on the high side but a solid case for long-term savings can be made. The savings on fuel, maintenance and not to mention the great driving experience and long warranties are all convincing arguments in favour of owning and driving an electric vehicle,” he tells us.

“Starting at R459 000, the Box range (hatch back) has plenty to offer with driving ranges between 330km and 430km on a single charge, depending on the model. Our 007 sport sedan, which also has different models, can take you from 530 to 620 kilometres, model dependent, and our medium size SUV, called the 06, is good for a 480km range.

“Add to this powerful performance in typical EV fashion with modern styling and high specification levels, and we know we have the right products. Plug in chargers are standard and wall-mounted chargers for the bigger vehicles with larger batteries are also included,” JP says.

JP says they plan to market the vehicles to the broader public and also aim specifically for business and institutions that could benefit from electric vehicles. With more products that include panel vans and mini busses, they will be able to cast their sales net wider and further.

Dongfeng Pretoria officially launched their showroom in November and there are three more Dongfeng dealerships currently in South Africa with more to come in the near future.

JP concludes by telling us that the Dongfeng brand offers a highly competitive range in the EV offerings available in South Africa currently and with more models coming in next year will be the to-go-to brand for a wide range of cars, which would by then also include hybrids.

He explains that Dongfeng Pretoria is affiliated to JAJ Motors, a well-established pre-owned dealership in Pretoria with eight years of proven service excellence. This partnership brings extensive expertise across both new and used vehicles entities, ensuring customers receive a professional, reliable and knowledgeable automotive experience and not simply the opening of another dealership.