Everyone knows Chery. But how well do we know Chery? Until the company gets into bed with South African labourers, we’d argue not very well. That’s changing soon, after Chery confirmed that the Omoda C4 will be the first model actually built in South Africa. That honour will go to the group’s Rosslyn plant based in Gauteng.
“The C4 will give us a place in the country’s manufacturing industry, while its petrol, hybrid and fully electric range will give our customers greater choice when buying an OMODA,” said Shannon Gahagan, head of brand and marketing for Omoda South Africa.
Chery to make C4 in South Africa
Chery confirmed that it’ll build petrol, hybrid, and fully electric derivatives of the C4 at the Rosslyn plant. First, it’s got some infrastructure upgrades to tend to, “alongside a localisation programme to develop the South African supplier base and increase the proportion of locally sourced components used in vehicle manufacturing.”
Assuming all goes to plan, the group hopes to see the plant bear C4-shaped fruit sometime in 2027. That’s when the Omoda C4 is expected to go on sale locally, though Chery hasn’t even hinted at a wider release window yet. Seeing as Chery’s popping its cherry here, there may be some kinks that need ironing out in the intervening months.
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While the bits that will make the Omoda C4 tick aren’t yet known, Chery has revealed some specs that drivers can look forward to. Like the wraparound cockpit inside the vehicle, complementing the futurisitc exterior Chery is going for. The models shown off internationally sport a 13.2in touchscreen display and 50W wireless charging.
One of the upsides of local manufacturing is that the company can charge the market less, right? Chery, however, hasn’t spilt the beans yet on local pricing. It’s fair to assume that a local plant will mean Chery isn’t spending absurd amounts to get the vehicles here. If Chery can get pricing right, it may have a real winner on its hands.
