Funky wheels: China’s big drive in South Africa
No, the Chinese are not coming to take over – they are already busy accomplishing it.
- Industry News
- 4 May 2026
Range Rover opened the waiting list for its highly anticipated Range Rover Electric, ahead of formal orders opening to clients.
With more patents anticipated to be filed for New Range Rover Electric than any other Range Rover before, prototypes are now being subjected to one of the most rigorous engineering sign-off programmes ever. This includes extreme temperature testing in all conditions and every terrain and wading through water up to 850 mm deep.
The manufacturer says the company is on target to create the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever, with a unique active road-noise cancellation configuration and sound design, plus cabin comfort levels enabled by its electric underpinnings.
Range Rover will offer future clients a seamless electric ownership experience – effortless charging, energy partnerships, software-over-the-air updates and intelligent technology to maximise range.
Range Rover Electric will be built on the flexible Modular Longitudinal Architecture in Solihull, United Kingdom, alongside existing mild and extended-range plug-in electric hybrid Range Rover vehicles, as a new underbody facility opens at the plant.
Batteries and electric drive units (EDUs) will be assembled at JLR’s new Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton, also in the United Kingdom.
JLR says the Range Rover Electric will deliver performance comparable to a flagship Range Rover V8 with the all-terrain capability developed in-house by Land Rover experts that has been a hallmark since Range Rover’s inception in 1970.
Global on-road testing has started, from Sweden to Dubai, in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +50°C. The global physical testing programme has been adapted for Range Rover’s first fully electric vehicle to ensure robustness of the electric drive system, including its underfloor, battery durability, chassis integrity and vehicle dynamics tests for thermal derating.
No, the Chinese are not coming to take over – they are already busy accomplishing it.
Motorists and households already under pressure will have to dig deeper into their pockets yet again from Wednesday, with sharp fuel and energy price hikes taking effect across South Africa.
Marcia Mayaba, Commercial Director at Dunlop Tyres South Africa, has been recognised as the top achiever at the recently held Woman of Stature Awards South Africa.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) welcomes the government’s extension of short term fuel levy relief measures aimed at cushioning consumers from rising fuel prices, but cautions that these interventions do not address the underlying structural challenge facing South Africa’s transport economy.
Volvo Cars has started building the fully electric EX60 at its Torslanda factory outside Gothenburg, with first customer deliveries due in early summer.
At Auto China 2026, Nissan unveiled two new NEV SUV concept cars, in its accelerated product rollout. It also highlights China’s role as one of the company’s lead markets and a global innovation and export hub, according to Nissan.