It’s a little weird that we’ve got two Chinese-made X200 products in South Africa before the first quarter of 2025 has closed but there you go. JAC Motors has put its new X200 forward-cab EV on sale in the country, supporting its more traditional 2.8-litre 1.5-tonne side-gated flatbeds.
But unless you need the extra 400 kilos of carry weight, you might want to stick to burning liquid dinosaurs for a while longer. The internal combustion version of the X200 starts closer to the R350,000 mark but upgrading to the new EV will punch you in the wallet for about double that.
I told my X200 times
JAC’s new EV isn’t intended for the commercial market, though they’ll sell you one if you want it. Its focus is on “modernising fleets and supporting global sustainability goals”, with a little “operational efficiency while cutting costs” thrown in. Mostly, though, it’s for “last-mile urban deliveries,” something borne out by the EV’s battery and range.
The JAC X200 EV packs a 63.75kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery — similar to what’s found in loads of home battery backups — and a range of 230km. A long-range delivery vehicle it’s not but it’ll get furniture from a warehouse to a nearby home with little effort — if a little slowly. The new EV is electronically limited to just 90km/h. That’s great for a delivery vehicle that might be precariously packed but not so great if you’re stuck behind one. Particularly since up to 300Nm of instant torque means it’ll always clear an intersection before you do.
Charging is completed in about 90 minutes, depending on which charging standard you’re using. Fleet operators will want to spring for DC charging since it’s quicker and getting back to 80% (also DC) should only take 35 minutes.
The increased price over the X200’s combustion equivalent isn’t just for the batteries and 105kW motor. Cruise control, rear parking sensors, a digital instrument cluster, hill-start, and stability control are all features, as is a five-year warranty.
